Mean Girls Film Review

This review is about Mean Girls Film. In High School, more than any other time in your life, you are judged by your friends. There’s a group for almost every type of student – even the loners have their exclusive group! The high school pecking order, which favors good looks over brains, dictates that cheerleaders and jocks are royalty, whereas chess club nerds are to be avoided as if they carry a social plaque. Most students happily settle into their groups, but all of them would be lying if they said they’ve never toyed with the idea of being popular. Why? Because being popular means power, friends, dates and favors, and when you’re a teenager, what could be better?

Raised in the African Bush, by her zoologist parents, Cady Heron thinks she knows all about the “survival of the fittest”. But the law of the jungle takes on a whole new meaning when the home-schooled 15 year old enters public high-school for the first time. Trying to find her place between jocks, mathletes and other sub-cultures, Cady comes across the meanest species of all; the queen bee, aka Regina George, leader of the schools A-List girl clique, The Plastics. But, when Cady falls for Reginas ex, the queen bee is stung and she schemes to destroy Cadys social future. Cadys claws soon come out though, as she leaps into a hilarious ‘Girl World’ war that has the whole school running for cover.

Linked with the non-fiction book, Queen Bees and Wannabes (Rosalind Wiseman) Mean girls is a horrendously funny, pure stroke of genius that eclipses any other high-school chick flick ever made before. Script writer, Tina Fey, who also stars as the math teacher Miss Knowbury claimed she chose to base the film on the book because she said she wanted the film to have an impact on her audience, and show them that being cool isn’t all its cracked up to be! And, that infact it is better to be yourself than be popular. Well Mean Girls has definitely achieved that!

Directed by Mark Waters (Freaky Friday, Just like Heaven) Mean Girls is a deeply pleasurable watch that certainly, makes an impression on its audience. Waters does a marvelous job directing this brilliant epic, and I think we can all agree that the producers certainly made the right decision choosing him to direct the film! Teamed with Tina Fey, Waters does a lovely job of staying out of the way, and tells the story simply without relying on fruit flavored set design, drowning every scene in music, or ruining the witty laughs with too much slapstick.

The actors and actresses used in the movie is easily the best decision made in the film. Each actor/actress is perfectly suited to their role and they all bring just that little bit extra to their character. Cady, the main character, played by the stunning Lindsay Lohan (The Parent Trap, Freaky Friday)had power in spades and enough going on behind the eyes to suggest the inner life and back story absent from the script. She conveys Cadys character changes brilliantly and her comic timing is excellent. However, Rachel Mcadams (The notebook, The Family Stone) makes the biggest impression with the showiest “Plastics” role and is certainly someone to watch for in the future. Her Regina George is one of the nastiest, funniest high school queen bee since Elections Tracy Flick. But, how can we forget Lacey Chabert and Amanda Seyfried who play Reginas bitchy sidekicks, Gretchen and Karen. Both fit their parts impeccably and bring glamour to the usual ugly sidekick.

However, a chick flick would not be complete without its “high status man candy” or in this case Aeron Samuels, played by the gorgeous Jonathon Bennett. Trust me girls you’re gonna love him!

In comparison with the other hot new release, A Cinderella Story, (Hilary Duff, Chad Michael Murray) Mean Girls is by far the hottest film on the planet right now. However, the two films do share their similarities. For example, both films are set in the modern age, and have a hidden meaning that any girl could relate to. In mean girls I found that the hidden meaning tells us girls that that it’s better to be yourself than someone your not. Where as in A Cinderella Story the hidden meaning is to always stay true to yourself and to always stand up for what you believe in.

In true chick flick tradition, a gorgeous guy has to be present, and these two films are no exception! Chad Michael Murray gives the audience something to drool over in A Cinderella Story with his hunky good looks and gentle charm. Jonathon Bennett (Mean Girls) woos the audience with his irresistible face and great personality. My only compliant would be that he just can’t compete with Chad Michael Murray! Overall though, I found Mean Girls to be more humorous, more meaningful and much much more nastier!

So in conclusion, will teenage audiences walk out of mean girls determined to break with the culture of cliques, gossip and rules for popularity? Not a chance. That’s built into high school, I think. But they may find it interesting that geeks are more fun than the queen bees, that teachers have feelings and that you’ll be happier as yourself than anybody else. I guess the message is, you have to live life everyday as if you might be suddenly hit by a school bus!