By Spidey Vi
I still think about Reneé Rapp’s intense stares.
If you don’t know what fetch is, here’s a brief plot: homeschooled teenager Cady Heron transfers into North Shore High School and befriends the outcast Janis and Damian. Instigated by them, Cady joins the popular clique known as the Plastics to undermine queen bee Regina George.
Mean Girls 2024 is adapted from the Broadway remake of Tina Fey’s original screenplay, and because of that, the reviews varied from opposite poles. Some called it a cheap parody with bad casting, some criticised the weird, sketchy quality and awful costume choices (especially Regina’s).
And then there are the ones who loved the new take, me included. While I agree that the 2004 classic is too iconic to be overpowered, I have some insights on how Mean Girls 2024 somewhat shines as a remake from a cinematic perspective.
I personally think the decision to adapt the stage version into a musical film was better than retelling a 20-year-old story for the sake of nostalgia; the elements brought over from the stage show offer not only creativity and innovation but a fresh approach to the original film. For starters, Mean Girls 2024 frequently has characters stare into the camera when performing their musical numbers. Film audience may not buy the idea at first but would gradually get used to it being the norm (or, on the bright side, a highlight) throughout the film. Next up, huge shoutout to the extras and vocal ensemble because they really committed to their roles in the background as if performing on stage. Lighting in theatre shows brings as much, if not bigger, impact to the change of scenes as it does in films. In Mean Girls 2024 viewers can easily interpret the scenes as Cady’s imagination when the lights go dim or are flickering.
Despite being a stage adaptation, the film isn’t short of remarkable cinematographic techniques. The film incorporates long takes to maintain the continuity of the musical numbers and the flow of the choreography, including several sneaky transitions with green screens and a cleverly done one-shot sequence that goes on for almost 2 minutes. On the other hand, Tina Fey switches things up in this version to enhance the narrative – Cady’s monologues from the original were replaced with a subtler, show-don’t-tell approach, and Damian uses a more “vivid” method when conveying the life-changing story between Janis and Regina.
In terms of casting, I reckon the actresses who portrayed the Plastics outgrew their predecessors with more refined personality traits. Reneé Rapp – having previously starred in the Broadway musical (2019-2020) – adopts a fiercer persona of Regina George than Rachel McAdams (her Regina was surely an icon though). Avantika and Bebe Wood nailed their roles as Karen and Gretchen, who thankfully are granted more character depth in the remake. Also, this was Auliʻi Cravalho (Janis)’s breakout role after Moana.
Of course, Mean Girls wouldn’t be Mean Girls without Tina Fey as Ms Norbury. Not only did she also get Tim Meadows to reprise his role, she managed to bring in Lindsay Lohan (the original Cady) and Ashley Park (Gretchen from the 2018 musical) as cameos alongside a few iconic costumes! The split-screen method in the 2004 film was a power move that would go into (not the Burn Book, but) the history of teen comedies, and was given a modern twist led by Avantika.
All in all, as Cady Heron once said, the limit does not exist. A remake can be good if done properly with innovative choices. While the modernised take on the 20-year-old classic may not surpass its old self, it surely could co-exist with the original and thrive on its own.
