I’ve probably watched the original “Mean Girls” three times in my 16 years of living, but even I know how iconic the movie is, with the movie itself being a pinnacle turning point in pop culture. 

In case you’re not aware of what “Mean Girls” is, the movie is based on the book, “Queen Bees and Wannabes” by Rosalind Wiseman, and it is about Cady Heron (Angourie Rice), who transfers to a public school after living in Africa with her scientist parents her whole life. There, she befriends a group of popular, cool girls with the moniker “The Plastics”, composed of Regina George (Renee Rap), Gretchen Wieners (Bebe Wood), and Karen Smith (Avantika Vandanapu). 

Overall, the movie follows cliche high school cliques and themes of friendship, betrayal, and teenage social hierarchies.  

I didn’t know much about the newly released “Mean Girls”, which came out to theaters on January 12, 2024, other than it had the queen herself, Renee Rap, playing Regina George, and that lots of people hated it because it was a musical.

I’m not a musical lover, per se, but I do enjoy them when they’re good. I was eager to watch “Mean Girls”, and I think part of the reason why was that I had no expectations. I was intrigued from the start.

I felt that the new “Mean Girls” followed the original to a good extent. I didn’t rewatch the original before coming to the movie theater, so I was running on poor memory, but the story came back to me in bits and pieces with the musical. The songs were catchy and original, and I thought that where they were placed throughout the movie was fine.

I loved the inclusion of memes and even TikTok throughout the movie when showcasing embarrassment and shame from the girls, and even in the spreading of rumors and gossip. The producers definitely took a modern take on it, and I thought it was smart, realistic, and comedic. 

I also think that the actors all did great. I’m definitely new to Renee Rap, but I loved her vocals, especially in the “Meet the Plastics” song. Cady’s voice was not my favorite as it felt very flat, but I’m also not a professional vocal coach, so it might have just been a personal preference. 

My favorite character was definitely Karen. Avantika portrayed her so well, and also she was just really pretty. I also felt a lot more sympathy for Regina in this movie than in the original, and I liked where she and Cady had their slight closure. I thought it was sweet, and both actresses did very nicely. 

One of my favorite parts about the original “Mean Girls” is the overall message. I think they did such a great job in conveying that there is importance to kindness, friendship, and trust, while also making the movie funny. 

The entire movie had the charm of the original “Mean Girls”, and while it definitely wasn’t as iconic as the original, it was still enjoyable for what it was. I wouldn’t rewatch it, but I liked it, and it also made me a Renee Rap stan, so at least I have that.