Review of Mean Girls (2004) by Sarah W — 25 Jun 2017

So Fetch.

"On Wednesday's we wear pink." Almost anyone can quote this and about a dozen other of the infamous lines of Mean Girls. Quoting Mean Girls has become a national pastime, in a way a language of its own. Writer, Tina Fey has made phrases such as 'fetch' and 'that's not a thing' another way of life for teenagers everywhere. Mean Girls is one of those movies you can watch over and over again and never get sick of. It is hilariously addicting and so true to the ridiculous nature of society today. What makes this film such a success is its relatable topics, witty humor, and dramatic acting.

The film begins with Lindsay Lohan playing Cady Heron, the new girl who has been home schooled her entire life, moving from Africa and entering public school for the first time. She quickly befriends a group of misfits and together they devise plan to take down the most popular clique in school, "The Plastics." The Plastics are made up of the prettiest, and meanest girls at school led by Regina George (Rachel McAdams). However, Heron is quickly brainwashed and begins to turn into a full blown plastic.

Although much of the film is overly exaggerative for the sake of making fun of teen clichés, it does hit many true and realistic struggles prevalent in high school today. It explores what it means to find yourself in a world that is constantly telling you who you should or should not be, dwelling on the concept that we all strive to be accepted and to belong. Mean girls does this through examining the issues of gossip, bullying, and the desire to fit in. However, it is the humorous and outright ridiculous fashion that these issues are addressed that make it so classic. Mean Girls is written by Saturday Night Live writer, Tina Fey. Fey's comical personality shines through in just about every scene. With scenes as dramatic as Regina George being hit by a bus, the gym teacher giving a sexual education lesson, or the entire high school population turning into wild animals in the African desert, Fey always keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Although Fey wrote an excellent script for this film, the acting is what truly seals the fate of its success. Through convincing emotion, realistic line delivery, and dramatic use of tone, the actors of Mean Girls definitely knew how to make this film compelling. Actor, Daniel Franzese does an exceptional job portraying Damien. Franzese engages the audience while playing a gay outcast through use of sarcasm and tone, which is reinforced in his ear piercing Christina Aguilera performance in the school's talent show. However, it is actress Rachel McAdams that steals the spotlight of this film. McAdams displays Regina as devious and mean, yet it is hard to hate her due to her likeable charm. The entire cast was well thought out and depicted their roles exceptionally well.

The film ends with probably the most important message of all, quoted by Cady Heron. "Calling somebody else fat won't make you any skinnier. Calling someone stupid doesn't make you any smarter. And ruining Regina George's life definitely didn't make me any happier. All you can do in life is try to solve the problem in front of you." Cady Heron demonstrates our downfall as humans to always pick out the flaws in others to make us feel better about ourselves. Realizing that building others up will bring you much more self-fulfillment then tearing others down is a reminder that we all need to hear sometimes.