If you were born anytime after 1985 it’s safe to assume that you have seen the staple of our generation’s pop culture: Mean Girls. The hour and 37 minute cinematic masterpiece based off of the book by Rosalind Wiseman stole the show for teen girls. It felt relatable, you totally knew how Cady Heron must have felt being thrown between social groups and you totally understood that she would go to any lengths to get the dreamy senior athlete. In 2004 it seemed like that’s what high school life was like, and ultimately was idealized, even with all of new found popular girl struggles and slight identity crisis. Really, this film should be considered a highly comedic coming of age film for the 90’s (and even late 80’s) girls.
For some, this was a favorite movie of it’s time, comparable to other movies that came out during the same year such as Napoleon Dynamite, The Notebook and even 50 First Dates.. For other people, like myself who were deemed “not old enough” to actually watch the film, this was the first “adult” or “bad” movie that I had ever seen. I will say that my mom was not very happy that I had seen it back in the day before she gave her okay on it..sorry mom.
Aside from the complete novelty of this film, it is so celebrated because of the incredible cast, the captivating script and because it is such an exaggerated version of relatable teenage life at the time.
Cast members such as Lindsay Lohan, playing our main girl Cady Heron, and Rachel McAdams, who played the character that we love to hate and hate to love known as Regina George, only flourished from their appearance in this film. The same year that this film was released Rachel McAdams starred in one of her most memorable roles in The Notebook, making Mean Girls really seem like a career diving board. In comparison, this is where Amanda Seyfried, who played Karen Smith, got her cinematic start. Plus the film features such timelessly hilarious actors such as Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, who were a powerhouse duo on Saturday Night Live. Daniel Franzese, known to fans as Damian in the film, was and still is a huge fan favorite character. He recently made headlines again in July when he proposed to his partner in the starbucks that they originally met in.
There are many memorable lines throughout the film that will always stick with the movie’s viewers. “She doesn’t even go here” said by character Damian was often quoted on a daily basis in my high school and I occasionally hear it from my peers on campus. Another great line comes from Lacey Chabert, who played Gretchen Wieners and is now featured in many Hallmark Christmas movies, in the infamous scene telling Regina George that she can’t sit with them anymore.
Ultimately the most iconic and quotable scene, the one that resurfaces every year on one specific day and seemily represents the entire escense of Mean Girls, features an exchange between Cady Heron and Aaron Samuels, played by Jonathan Bennett.
“On October 3rd, he asked me what day it was.” Cady said as the camera pans across her and her love-interest Aaron Samuels. “It’s October 3rd!” Aaron then nods and turns around.
Now, every year October 3rd is a day across the internet that is used to express the continuing love of this movie. It’s not even just that particular October day, but really any time within the first week of the month that this pop culture holiday is celebrated. There is just as much interest today as there was in 2004 when the movie was released. The fan base for this movie has 12 years of celebration under their belts but every October 3rd is still special. You will notice twitter, tumblr, and even facebook come alive with Mean Girls jokes, memes, and videos. Even if you refuse to admit it, you know deep down that Mean Girls will forever be a guilty (or not so guilty) pleasure of yours if it comes on tv on a Saturday night in. You’ll never get enough of the hilarious jokes or the absurdly dramatic, teenage female friendships.
So grab your popcorn and take a seat in front of your screens, because it’s time to watch your favorite cliche film. Happy Mean Girls day!