Fans all over lined up on January 12 to watch the brand new Mean Girls movie, starring singer Renee Rapp as the infamous Regina George. This film is a modern musical take on the beloved classic film released back in 2004. In case you’re not familiar with the plot, this movie follows 16 year old Cady Heron as she enters her first year at a public high school after moving to America from Africa. While she learns to adjust to a world of boys and drama, Cady unwillingly befriends the Plastics, the most popular girls in school.
The best part of this adaptation is the casting of Regina. Renee was the perfect choice in every way. Her tall, dominating presence stood out immediately. Regina is known as powerful and commanding, and Renee certainly encapsulated that with her alluring voice and striking beauty. The casting overall was pretty spot on, with the diversity being an added plus. Both Karen and Damien got a change in appearance, which I believe made the movie better. Damien, played by Jaquel Spivey, played his role perfectly. His sass and charisma were something I thoroughly enjoyed. Avantika Vandanpu, who portrayed Karen, also did a solid job expressing her character’s innocent ignorance. Although Karen is known for being a “dumb blonde,” I did feel like the act was a little overdone.
My main critique is the casting for Cady Heron. Angourie Rice was unfortunately not a good fit for the main character. Her lack of musical singing capabilities stood out like a sore thumb. She was not the right actress for this type of film and lacked a certain appeal. Her voice did not suit the songs written for Cady. Specifically, the song Stupid With Love, which Cady sings to Aaron Samuels, was an eye roller. Angourie lacked the drama needed for a musical. Renee’s songs, however, I loved. Her parts carried the film.
Going into this movie, I had heard of the unnecessary product placement and lame outfits. I do agree that the product placement was a little off-putting, however, I didn’t particularly care as it didn’t affect my viewing experience. The outfits also seemed a little shabby, but I believe that they fit in with the modern aspect of the film.
I was disappointed to see that the iconic bus scene where Regina storms away from Cady after realizing how her plan all along was to ruin her life, and accidentally gets hit by a bus was overshadowed by Janice’s solo song. I understand the decision to make the two scenes overlap, however it ruined the effect of the scene. When I first watched the original movie, this instantly became my favorite scene. It was so out of the blue and shocking and paved the way for Cady and Regina’s character development. It seemed pointless to make this scene part of the background when its importance deserved to be the main focus
Funnily enough, I never intended to watch this movie. The negative reviews threw me off and I figured I would wait for it to hit Netflix instead of spending money on a ticket. I found myself with no choice but to watch this film after my friends and I were prohibited from watching an R-rated movie. Surprisingly, I enjoyed it despite the flaws. Although the original movie will always have a special place in my heart, this newer version was a satisfying remake.
