Mean Girls. It’s iconic. It’s pink. It’s fetch. And it’s back.
Tina Fey’s Mean Girls rocked cinemas in 2004 and has since been a pinnacle of pop culture due to its remarkable lines, drop dead fashion, and overall genius. Because of its sheer popularity, it was adapted into a Broadway sensation in 2017. However, the fun does not stop there; this January, 20 years after the first film’s release, a movie adaptation of the musical hit screens. As a self-proclaimed Mean Girls aficionado, there is no other option than to compare the different Mean Girls mediums by breaking down how each tackles clothes, music, iconic lines, and storytelling. Get in loser!
Fashion
Clothes are an essential part of the Mean Girls plot because they express each character’s unique personality and social status. All three mediums (2004 movie, 2017 musical, and 2024 adaptation) are draped in pink per the Plastic’s iconic rule that on Wednesdays, they wear pink. The original movie sticks to an unbeatable Y2K style with mini skirts, layered tanks, and stilettos. Regina is the IT girl as she controls the hallways in feisty baby tees and a silver R necklace. Both the musical and the adaptation maintain the status that the Plastics are fashion icons, but take on the styles of their times. In the musical, the girls wear more leather, skinny jeans, and statement tops popularized in 2016. A stage production also has to account for movement from dancing to quick changes. The adaptation clearly pulled sheer tops, corset structures, and cut outs from the plethora of influencers on Instagram and TikTok. Now Regina reigns in stylish cargo pants and a gold-pearl R choker. Changing times called for different trends, but each medium maintained the spirit of the characters. The Plastics shine while Cady frumps in plaid and field slacks. Janis’s rebellious side thrives in bold vintage patterns and artistic choices. Don’t worry; in all three mediums, Damien still gives Cady an iconic oversized pink shirt and wears a blue hoodie and sunglasses like couture.
Iconic Lines
Mean Girls would not be Mean Girls without the memorable one liners. From “that’s so fetch” to “I’m not a regular mom, I’m a cool mom,” the musical and adaptation have different approaches to paying homage to the original’s genius script. The musical incorporates several iconic phrases into songs such as “and I want my pink shirt!” in “Someone Gets Hurt (Reprise) or “the limit does not exist” in “Do This Thing.” “Revenge Party” includes moments like “You go Glen Coco” and “Cady, would you please tell him his hair looks sexy pushed back?” However, it does take the liberty to craft some unbeatable lyrics like Regina cheating on Aaron with Shane Oman when they are both in the North Shore Lion’s Costume. “Meet the Plastics” does a fantastic job of introducing the Plastics with lines such as “This whole school humps my leg like a chihuahua.” With bops like “Stop,” “Whose House is This?” and “World Burn,” the musical distinguishes itself with a unique flare that allows it to hold its own against something as classic as the 2004 movie. Because the 2024 movie is an adaptation of the musical, it pairs the strengths of both the cult classic film and the lyrical Broadway genius. It has many of the great lines and songs from both, but adapts certain aspects to a new audience. For example, Regina revives the wet look by being doused in sprinklers at Homecoming court instead of creating a new tank top/bra trend when Cady, Janis, and Damian cut holes in her shirt for revenge. The new film also utilizes TikTok and Instagram elements to include student’s perspectives on the Plastics. All three are without a doubt, fetch and quotable.
Music
The music from the 2004 film is filled with early 2000s bops such as “Dancing with Myself” by The Donnas or “One Way or Another” by Blondie. The music fits the overall vibe of the film, but the true star of music is, obviously, the musical. With entertaining lyrics, captivating instrumentals, and insane vocals, the musical is a must listen. It’s undoubtedly fun to sing along to, whether you prefer to be Regina George in “World Burn,” Cady Heron in “Stupid With Love,” or Janis Ian in “I’d Rather Be Me.” The Mean Girls musical takes a place among other modern day musicals such as Legally Blonde, Waitress, and Six. Musical fans, however, will be disappointed by the 2024 adaptation as several beloved songs like “Whose House is This?” or “Where Do You Belong” are cut completely or altered like “Stupid With Love” and “Meet the Plastics.” Obviously, the musical must be altered for time’s sake, but the adaptation does so in a poor job. The jazzy and energetic instrumentals are dulled for several songs especially “Stupid With Love” and it’s hard to watch Angourie Rice as Cady stand against a vocal legend like Reneé Rapp who revitalized Regina George. Rapp, Auli’i Crvalho, and Avantika do a phenomenal job with an instrumental backing that does not support them and they truly steal the show. In my honest opinion, I expected more of the adaptation.
Storytelling
Let’s be real, the plot of Mean Girls is stellar in its own right. The original tells the story perfectly through one liners, camera angles, POV shots, character development in costumes, and 2000s je ne sais quoi. The musical upholds the main thematic elements by doing what a musical does best: a dance break. The adaption takes a bold step by including more modern elements like filming as if it was a phone and emoji graphics in certain scenes. All three mediums hit major plot points that move the story along steadily all while crafting characters with bold personalities. Main themes of forgiveness, judgment, identity, power, society and class, and women and femininity are executed across each medium with their own unique twist. Because it is a good story, it is hard to do it wrong.
In all honesty, the original will always be the original. No one will have the vile personality of Regina George like Rachel McAdams or turn to Plastic like Lindsey Lohan did as Cady Heron. However, the musical is a safe haven for fans of the classic and Broadway kids in general. It brings a bright spin to a beloved film. The 2024 adaptation was not my favorite movie. I enjoyed the nostalgia of Mean Girls, but certain elements like the music and modernization fell flat. If you want to see Reneé Rapp dominate, buy a ticket. The adaptation is an important lesson that remakes should not be a carbon copy of the original content as new art has to emerge, expand, and be appreciated. However, it’s also a lesson that not everything needs to be remade.