“Get in loser, we’re going shopping,” Is one of the most widely known and quoted lines from the original 2004 adaptation of “Mean Girls,” the comedy/drama that shows what happens when comparison and competition gets the best of a few angsty teenage girls. This iconic line, along with many others from the original adaptation are just as prominent in the new, 2024 musical movie version of “Mean Girls.”
This adaptation was recently released in theaters on Jan. 12. Since then, it has made its name known by grossing over $60 million in box office sales in the U.S. alone, and over $83 million worldwide. For anyone who is a fan of the original punch lines and creative plot written by the one and only Tina Fey, there is no secret as to why the new adaptation has already proven to be successful.
As previously mentioned, the new “Mean Girls” does an incredible job of sticking to the same themes and punch lines fans all know and love from the 2004 version, but it also brings in some new elements. Perhaps the biggest difference between the old and new version is that the new version is a musical.
The movie’s soundtrack consists of 13 original songs that the characters break into at various points throughout the story. During the filming process, the directors, Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr., worked with the choreographer, Kyle Hanagami, as well as the musical director, Jeff Richmond, to perfect how all the elements came together to create songs that were lively and meaningful.
Hanagami’s choreography showcased the actresses’, actors’ and back up dancers’ abilities in a creative and entertaining way. The choreography moved beautifully with the different pacing of each song and every dancer in all the larger numbers was in sync the entire time. The singing was another part that sold the movie. Richmond did an incredible job of helping each singer in the show find what style of singing fit their vocal range best, as well as what style worked best for each song.
One song that stuck out is called “Stupid with Love.” This song shows the main character, Cady Heron, played by Angourie Rice, expressing her struggles with exceeding in academics but being socially awkward and not knowing how to talk to her crush who she sits behind in her AP Calculus class, Aaron Samuels, played by Christopher Briney.
Another thing that way interesting about the 2024 adaptation verses the 2004 adaptation is that some of the roles are played by the same actresses and actors while some of them are not. As previously mentioned, Cady Heron and Aaron Samuels, one of the love interests, are played by Angourie Rice and Christopher Briney. Some other roles that are played by different people are the original three girls who are a part of “The Plastics,” the most popular group of girls in school. Regina George is played by Renee Rap, Gretchen Wieners is played by Bebe Wood and Karen Shetty is played by Avantika. These new actresses and actor bring a fresh twist to their roles, while also sticking to the same personalities seen in the 2004 adaptation.
A couple of roles played by the same people in both adaptations include Mr. Duvall, played by Tim Meadows and Ms. Norbury, played by Tina Fey, who also wrote the movie’s script. Another actress who made an appearance in the first adaptation is Lindsay Lohan, who originally played Cady Heron. Lohan appears again in the 2024 adaptation in a supporting role, but her spunk and sass she portrayed as Cady come through just as much with her supporting role.
Overall, this movie is very well done and highly recommended to anyone who is looking for a good time with friends. The humor, the acting, the singing and the choreography add a fun twist to the original story fans all know and love.
