Mean Girls 2024: The Musical Movie That Had More Potential

Hey there, friends! I’m back with another film review. After taking a hiatus due to some life changes, I decided “What better way to come back to Vocal Media?” Buckle up, because this review is about to get fetch!

So, let's talk about Mean Girls the Musical film adaptation, shall we? If you're like me and you've got the original 2004 movie quotes engraved in your brain, or if you've belted out every tune from the Broadway musical, then this review is right up your alley.

Now, picture this: it's 2024, and we're back in the halls of North Shore High. But this time, it's with a twist. The film follows the same old script from the OG movie, but with a modern twist and sprinkled with those catchy tunes we all love from the musical. Sounds like a recipe for success, right? Well, not quite. Sure, there are some standout moments that make you want to jump out of your seat and sing along, like Karen’s solo jam “Sexy” at the Halloween bash or Regina's grand entrance. But hold your applause, folks, because there's a lot missing from this musical mashup.

To start, let’s talk about Damian. Where's our exuberant, musical theater kid Damian from the musical? Where’s our “active member of the Student Activities Committee”? Where’s our friend that sang Christina Aguilera at the talent show? I will admit, Jaquel Spivy did a great job, but we missed that extra sparkle. And don't even get me started on "Where Do You Belong?" That song was like Damian's anthem in the musical, and its absence left a gaping hole in Cady's introduction to the school.

But hey, it's not all gloom and doom. Renee Rapp absolutely nailed it as Regina George. She had that same mean girl vibe as Rachel McAdams from two decades ago. And props to Auli’i Cravahlo for bringing Janis to life in a whole new way. Plus, shoutout to the casting for adding some much-needed diversity, like making Gretchen Latina. Representation matters, folks, and we have a lot of it in this new film! I also loved the change to Karen. While we love the “dumb blond” trope from the original film and musical, the decision to keep her a bit ditzy while giving her the autonomy she desparately needed in the original serves to break that stereotype and align with newer ideas towards female empowerment and inclusion.

But here's where it all falls apart: the songs, and the recurrence of original actors. "Stupid With Love" got a makeover, and not the good kind. And don't even get me started on the missing bops like "It Roars," "Fearless," and "More is Better." It's like they took away the heart and soul of the musical and left us with a watered-down version.For a musical film based on a musical adaptation of a popular chick flick, there’s very little actual music. As a fan of the musical as well as the original flick, I felt sorely let down by the lack of music in this film. I was left simply wanting so much more! And while I love Tim Meadows and Tina Fey as Mr. Duval and Ms. Norbury, respectively, I just can’t shake the feeling that they should have let others play these roles for the musical film.

In the end, it feels like we're just watching a rehash of the 2004 film with a few musical numbers thrown in for good measure. And let's face it, that's just not cutting it. So, while Mean Girls the Musical film had its moments, it left us craving more. It also begs the question of whether other musical adaptations such as “Heathers,” “Legally Blond,” or “Beetlejuice” would receive similar treatments were they made into film versions. Here's hoping for a better encore next time.