Review: 'Mean Girls' is More Queer and Less Mean in Entertaining Musical

Turning a beloved early 2000s film like "Mean Girls" into a musical seems like an inspired choice. The original "Mean Girls" features great performances (Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams) and quotable dialogue ("That's so fetch," "On Wednesdays, we wear pink") while cleverly capturing facets of teen girlhood: cutthroat cliques, bullying, stereotypical femininity, and toxic friendships.

Screenwriter Tina Fey crafted a shrewd social commentary in the 2004 film. Yet, it's not without narrative problems (not unlike many classic films) such as racism, homophobia, queer erasure, and statutory rape. Based on the Broadway musical – itself an adaptation of the original film, which was based on Rosalind Wiseman's non-fiction parenting book "Queen Bees and Wannabes" – the 2024 musical teen comedy updates the teen clique story for a new audience.

Tina Fey wrote the screenplay for this version, which is directed by Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr. in their directorial debut, just as she did for the 2004 film and the book of the musical.

Friendly and smart Cady (Angourie Rice), who's been homeschooled her whole life, moves with her researcher mom (Jenna Fischer) from Kenya (a refreshing change from just "Africa" in the original, as the diverse continent is not monolithic) to Illinois. Cady finds it hard to find friends. Queer artist Janis (Auli'i Cravalho, who's bisexual) and her gay best friend Damian (Jaquel Spivey) try to help her find a clique to fit in.

Popular queen bee Regina George (Reneé Rapp, who's bisexual and reprises her Broadway role), a member of "The Plastics," invites Cady to sit at lunch with her friends, gossipy Gretchen (Bebe Wood) and ditzy Karen (Avantika). Janis and Damian convince Cady to pretend to be their friend in order to sabotage Regina. But complications ensue when Cady gets a crush on Aaron (Christopher Briney), Regina's ex-boyfriend, and succumbs to the sway of popularity.

"Mean Girls" is an enjoyable film filled with engaging performances and peppy, catchy songs. I particularly liked "I'd Rather Be Me," sung by Cravalho with her riveting emotive singing, and the fourth-wall-breaking introduction "A Cautionary Tale." But Nell Benjamin's lyrics lack the clever sharpness of Fey's dialogue.

If you've seen the original, the musical will feel very familiar, as it treads the same terrain and hits almost all the same narrative beats. But that didn't diminish my enjoyment.

The musical thankfully updates the problematic components of the 2004 film, while diminishing some of the biting elements and imbuing characters with more complexity, especially Regina and Gretchen, who exhibit more vulnerability and humanity. The friendships in the film also feel more authentic. It was nice to see the changes, along with nods to the original, including a special cameo. The film concludes in a sweet finale that could have easily felt saccharine and trite, yet feels earnest and well-earned.

Reneé Rapp effortlessly exudes cool swagger and she's good at the vulnerable scenes. But she lacks the venom of a vicious queen bee, which isn't a bad thing; it just underscores how the musical makes everyone less mean. While Rapp's vocals are great, I wish she displayed more emotion while singing. While possibly attempting to convey an icy exterior (or perhaps she's more expressive singing live), her stoic facial expressions left me cold and disengaged.

Auli'i Cravalho and Jaquel Spivey are the best part of the film, stealing every scene they appear in. Cravalho is delightful as the voice actor of Moana and she's wonderful in the charming queer rom-com "Crush." I adore both of their acting – Cravalho is expressive and compelling; Spivey is hilarious – their singing, and their supportive camaraderie with each other, makes their friendship feel authentic. And I love that both are queer characters.

In the original, Janis is coded queer and called a gay slur. Regina denouncing Janis, her former friend, for being a lesbian reveals her homophobia, but it also reifies a sinister societal homophobia. In the 2024 musical, Janis and Damien tell Cady about her coming out, and we see Janis take a young woman as her date to the dance. Janis being a proud out queer teen feels like a breath of fresh air. She defiantly struts through the halls belting out "I'd Rather Be Me," a declaration of individuality and denouncement of conformity that becomes a joyous and bold queer anthem.

"Mean Girls" is more queer and less mean in an entertaining musical about teen cliques that shows the power of friendship, kindness, and being true to yourself.

"Mean Girls" opens in theaters Friday, January 12, 2024.