GamesRadar+ VerdictA little more than a remake yet less than a makeover, Tina Fey’s watchable, well-cast revisit needed more daring to be wholly worthwhile.
GamesRadar+ Verdict
GamesRadar+ Verdict
A little more than a remake yet less than a makeover, Tina Fey’s watchable, well-cast revisit needed more daring to be wholly worthwhile.
A little more than a remake yet less than a makeover, Tina Fey’s watchable, well-cast revisit needed more daring to be wholly worthwhile.
Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy.
Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy.
In 2004,Mean Girlshad surprise on its side. Sharper than your average high-school comedy, it tapped Heathers’ influence for PG-13 mischief and turned a canny riff on teen cliques into a quotable meme machine. Even with songs, social media, and savvy casting added to the mix, this enjoyable but safe musical redo, coming via-Broadway, lacks that freshness: it’s the old Mean Girls with smartphones, essentially, with an attendant risk of redundancy.
(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)
After a nifty tent-based segue from Africa to the US, we’re on known territorial footing as brainy Cady Heron (Angourie Rice) arrives at North Shore High, struggling to position herself between the outsiders - Janis (Auli’i Cravalho) and Damian (Jaquel Spivey) – and the Plastics. Cady soon trades studies for status as she infiltrates the latter, enacting Janis’ revenge on ‘queen bee’ Regina (Reneé Rapp) for past grievances. Meanwhile, Cady wrestles with a crush – on Regina’s ex.
In fairness, the cast makes the grade. Building likeably on the recent Spider-Man movies’ Betty Brant, Rice’s guileless lead contrasts nicely with Rapp’s resting OMG face. The adults seem to be having more fun still, with Busy Philipps, Jon Hamm, Jenna Fischer, and a returning Tim Meadows there for the LOLs. Also back, Fey serves sarcasm with a smile as her Ms Norbury nabs the film’s funniest line – no spoilers.
Cravalho and Spivey add stage-sized charisma, but that vim isn’t always matched elsewhere. From the dinner hall to the talent show, few of the set pieces pop like they should. The songs lean towards cookie-cutter modern pop and over-extend the plot, leaving the second half saggy. A livelier ‘Revenge Party’ lifts proceedings but as that bus approaches, Fey’s faithful yet oddly pointless revisit trades surprise for knowing recognition and nostalgia. Turns out it is your parents’ Mean Girls, after all…
Mean Girls is in US theaters on January 12 and in UK cinemas on January 17.
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