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From:Lindsay Lohan , Jonathan Bennett , Rachel McAdams , Tina Fey , Tim Meadows , LOHAN,LINDSAY , Mark Waters , Paramount Pictures ,
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 A treat from the start to the end, 2008-09-09
Ok so this may not be the typical 20 something movie because it was written for teens, and upon retrospect it should have. The movie incorporated lots of laughter with puns yet still has serious life lessons.
I was proud that Tina Fey created this flim, it was a pleasure to watch.
Loved it...., 2008-09-06
I thought Lindsay Lohan was spectacular in this film. She looked stunningly beautiful and at the time of the movie's release, I was pretty young in college and I thought she was the hottest gal in the world.
Mean Girls is your standard teen movie. The main focus this time is the "girl wars" that occur quite regularly in high schools. The movie has some sort of value to it. I mean I'm not talking Plato's work here, but I do think the movie is on the level of Breakfast Club in that you sort of think about all the various sub-groups that occur in high schools.
Overall, the movie was pleasing. By the end, I was quite displeased with some of the random events that occurred - like the bus smash - but overall the movie is pretty good and consistence. It includes everything you'd want in a teen movie: a bit of gossips, nerds, the sexy scene, the lame parental units that somehow ends up being cool, back stabbing your friends then having to regain their trust and friendship, and finally the ultimate defeat of the rival group that ultimately bonds the entire school such that everyone has their own code and they walk past you with that affirmative nod like King of the Hill's "Yep."
Gretchen, stop trying to make fetch happen!, 2008-09-05
This movie is based upon the book "Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends, and Other Realities of Adolescence" by Rosalind Wiseman, in spite of it being a non-fiction parental self-help manual with no narrative to speak of.
Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) has been raised in Africa and home-schooled by her parents. She is ill prepared to adapt to the harsh environment of a Midwestern High School, but on her first day she hooks up with the school misfits, Janis Ian, a Goth, and Damian, who is 'too gay to function.' They explain the hierarchy of cafeteria cliques, and map out where each group sits:
Janis: [reading list the major cliques in high school] You got your freshmen, ROTC guys, preps, J.V. jocks, Asian nerds, Cool Asians, Varsity jocks Unfriendly black hotties, Girls who eat their feelings, Girls who don't eat anything, Desperate wannabes, Burnouts, Sexually active band geeks,
[a picture of herself and Damian come on screen]
Janis: the greatest people you will ever meet, and the worst. Beware of plastics.
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Here is where the 'Queen Bees and Wannabes' come into the picture. Regina George (Rachel McAdams) is the most popular girl in school. Her name, 'Regina,' means Queen in Latin. She is also the biggest byotch you'd ever want to meet. Damien and Janice warn Cady about the dangers of the toxic Plastics:
Janis: That one there, that's Karen Smith. She is one of the dumbest girls you will ever meet. Damien sat next to her in English last year.
Damian: She asked me how to spell orange.
[Cady snickers]
Janis: That little one, that's Gretchen Wieners.
Damian: She's totally rich because her dad invented Toaster Strudels.
Janis: Gretchen Wieners knows everybody's business, she knows everything about everyone.
Damian: That's why her hair is so big, it's full of secrets.
Janis: And evil takes a human form in Regina George. Don't be fooled because she may seem like your typical selfish, back-stabbing **** faced **-bag, but in reality, she's so much more than that.
Damian: She's the queen bee - the star, those other two are just her little workers.
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Janis has her own reasons to despise Regina, for she harbors a grudge whose source will be revealed in the fullness of time. As for Damian, this is all he can say:
Damian: She's fabulous, but she's evil.
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Taken by her fetching good looks, The Plastics decide to invite Cady to join their exalted company.
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Regina: Why don't I know you?
Cady: I'm new. I just moved here from Africa.
Regina: What?
Cady: I used to be home-schooled.
Regina: Wait... what?
Cady: My mom taught me at home...
Regina: No, I know what home-school is, I'm not retarded! So you've actually never been to a real school before? Shut up! Shut up!
Cady: I didn't say anything.
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She is asked back for lunch on the morrow, and told to wear pink, because it is Wednesday. They all wear pink on Wednesday. After hearing about this unexpected turn of events, Cady and the refugees from the Island of Misfit Toys conspire to infiltrate The Plastics, and destroy them from within.
But being a Plastic goes to Cady's head. It is not such a bad feeling to belong to the most exclusive clique in school. Soon she succumbs to the Plastic life style, a life of fabulous fashion, and rapier sharp wit. For dumb blondes, they can come up with quite the withering comment when called upon. Gretchen, on the other hand, is not so successful when she tries to coin her own catchphrase:
Gretchen: That is so fetch!
Regina: Gretchen, stop trying to make fetch happen! It's not going to happen!
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Poor little Gretchen keeps trying to stretch fetch into the lexicon:
[repeated line]
Gretchen: That was so fetch!
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Though fetch might not ever happen, Mean Girls did happen, for Rachel McAdams, Lindsay Lohan, and for Tina Fey, who not only wrote the thing, but also acts in it as well, as a semi hip teacher with a dry ironic sense of humor. She has peppered the cast with quite the collection of SNL Alumni, such as Tim Meadows, Amy Poehler, and Anna Gasteyer. She currently also stars in and writes for the TV sit com 30 Rock, where in quite a stretch she plays the head writer for a comedy show. Her boss is played by Alec Baldwin, and perhaps that is why Rachel McAdams was told to base her character, Regina George, on Alec's character in Glengarry Glen Ross. I can see it, Rachel, though it was dialed back a notch or two. Great acting all 'round, 'specially from Lohan and McAdams--a clash of the titans. The writing is superb. Even though it is just a High School drama, it is chock full of clever lines and put downs. It functions like a well-oiled comedy machine, with all the cylinders clicking. Tina Fey, with her thick rimmed glasses, reminds me of some teachers of my own that I used to fantasize about in class. Combine that crush on teacher appeal with the fact that she is also smart, funny, and can write, and you'll see why High School was never this good. Mean Girls transcends the genre of low High School comedy and aspires to be something more. Tina Fey has learned her lessons well, conducting comedy experiments for years in the SNL crucible, and she has crafted quite a comedy.
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Janis: Why didn't they just keep home schooling you?
Cady: They wanted me to get socialized.
Damian: Oh, you'll get socialized all right, a little slice like you.
Cady: What are you talking about?
Janis: You're a regulation hottie.
Cady: What?
Damian: Own it.
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I confess that part of the attraction is checking out Lindsay Lohan because she is such a notorious party girl. Of all her gal pals that ply that circuit, she strikes me as being one of the most talented. It would be a shame to squander all of that talent, and toss it aside for the momentary flashes of hedonistic pleasure afforded in your Hollywood clubs. I really hope that she can sort out her personal life because if she does she has a stellar career in front of her.
There are quite a few good tunes in this High School drama. A few that I recognized were the following:
"Milkshake"
by Chad Hugo & Pharrell Williams
Performed by Kelis
A good excuse to show off dance moves. A completely moronic number, and yet it grabs you and won't let go. Everybody, dance the Macarena!
"Rip Her to Shreds"
by Deborah Harry & Chris Stein
Performed by Boomkat
Perfect anthem for The Plastics when they are at their cattiest. "Saucer of milk for Table Two!" You recognize the song, but instead of Deborah Harry and Blondie, it is performed by Boomkat. Later, the Blondie theme is continued, this time with the original artist, not a cover:
"One Way or Another"
by Deborah Harry & Nigel Harrison
Performed by Blondie
This is a song done oh-so well by diva Christina Aguillara. She has quite a set of pipes, and this would be a very difficult song to sing. It was written by Linda Perry, who used to sing for 4 Non-Blondes before producing and writing songs for such luminaries as Pink and Miss Christina A.
"Beautiful"
by Linda Perry
Performed by Daniel Franzese
Who is Daniel Franzese? He is the actor playing Damian. Though he sings well at the Talent Show, he is pelted with debris by a most unappreciative audience. Also casting pearls before swine is math enthusiast and rapper, Kevin Gnapoor.
"The Mathlete Rap"
Lyric by Tina Fey
Music by Gabriel Rene
Produced by Gabriel Rene
Performed by Rajiv Surendra
His performance is cut short by a member of the faculty once it becomes obvious that if his rap was released, it would require a parental warning sticker for explicit lyrics [thanks Tipper].
Next up is Cady and the plastics lip synching to "Jingle Bell Rock." Though they perform the same song every year, they always win. Perhaps it is the short red skirts and synchronized dance moves that so mesmerize the crowd. The skirts for the Christmas talent show are made of plastic; the costume designer says they were made of that fabric to "represent the Plastics".
"Jingle Bell Rock"
by Joseph Beal (as Joe Beal) & James Boothe (as Jim Boothe)
Performed by Gina Rene, Gabriel Rene, Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams,
Lacey Chabert & Amanda Seyfried
"At Seventeen"
Written & Performed by Janis Ian
Courtesy of Columbia Records
By Arrangement with Sony Music Licensing and Courtesy of Rude Girl Records
The character of Janis Ian kind of threw me for a loop, because I wondered why they used the name of a singer that most of the target audience would never have heard of. Tina Fey, the SNL scribe who penned the script, might have been making some kind of reference to her since Janis Ian was the first musical guest to appear on Saturday Night Live way back in 1975. Janice sang her hit that addressed racial issues with regards to dating, and was kind of shocking for that time, even though the girl in the song decides that dating outside her race was not worth the hassle. Even that was too much for the general public in that bygone era. The song "At Seventeen" is heard during the course of the film.
"Dancing with Myself"
by Billy Idol & Tony James
Performed by The Donnas
This song sounded great, and I wondered who did it. Come to find out, it was the all female rock group The Donnas. It is an old Billy Idol song that he sang with his group Generation X. Great cover by The Donnas. I have read about The Donnas for quite some time, but never was curious enough to listen. Hearing this, I think I will check them out.
There is a lot of other good music in the hip hop vein, but I will leave it to Generation Y and Z to sort that out.
MEAN GIRLS IS BASED ON THE BOOK:
Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends, and Other Realities of Adolescence by Rosalind Wiseman (Paperback - Mar 4, 2003)
LINDSAY LOHAN
Georgia Rule (Full Screen Edition) (2007) .... Rachel Wilcox
Bobby (Widescreen Edtion) (2006) .... Diane
A Prairie Home Companion (2006) .... Lola Johnson
Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen (2004) .... Mary Elizabeth Cep / Lola
Freaky Friday (2003) .... Anna Coleman
The Parent Trap (Special Edition) (1998) .... Hallie Parker / Annie James
RACHEL McADAMS
The Hot Chick (2002) .... Jessica
The Notebook (New Line Platinum Series) (2004) .... Allie Hamilton
Wedding Crashers - Unrated (Widescreen New Line Platinum Series) (2005) .... Claire Cleary
1 of 1 customers found the following review helpful:
Cafeteria Catfights, 2008-09-01
There are so many ways for a movie like this to go wrong that it's amazing how successfully it portrays the reality of that most bloodthirsty jungle, high school. If you go broad you end up with revolting bottom of the barrel humor, ala the American Pie franchise. If you go dark you risk losing the excitement and exuberance of high school, a place where human personality is constantly evolving. The high water mark for films of this kind was hit by Clueless, which is frothy, smart, sly, and fun. Welcome To The Dollhouse resides at the opposite end, though thoroughly brilliant it is at times so painfully honest that it's difficult to watch. Mean Girls faultlessly rides the fence between theses poles, the pitch and tone are just right - tough-minded enough to be real, silly enough to be charming.
Tina Fey, who wrote the screenplay and plays Ms. Norbury, beleaguered math teacher, deserves high marks - her script drives the film's fate. Director Mark Waters is also responsible for another fine picture that runs the gauntlet between silly and insightful - Just Like Heaven, with Mark Ruffalo and Reese Witherspoon. In that movie he made me believe a man was falling in love with a ghost - and got me to care about them. On the other hand, he also directed House Of Yes, an appalling Pinter-esque, drawing room gabfest intended to impress intellectuals - watch that turkey at your peril - Parker Posey notwithstanding.
A movie of this sort does not rely on good acting, which is fortunate. What Ms. Lohan does might be described as charming the camera, but it would never qualify as acting. However, Waters has surrounded her with eye candy and talented character actors, which can cover up a world of sin. Tim Meadows, as Principal Duvall, brings an impeccable dry, ironic delivery to the table while Rajiv Surendra, as the math uber-geek, threatens to run off with every scene he's in. Rachel McAdams is convincing as Regina, the Barbie doll come to life - one can only hope she's an amazing actress and nothing like that in person. Surprisingly, Amy Poehler is thoroughly uninteresting as Regina's mom, a part that had comedy home run written all over it.
Ms. Fey probably knew it would be hard sustain this high-wire performance for 3 acts. Mean Girls does bog down after a bit, and the resolution is downright facile. But by then you already like it so much that it just doesn't matter. Poor Cady, Lindsay Lohan, goes from being home schooled in Africa to surviving the watering hole politics of an American high school, things just got a lot tougher. Recommended.
TOTALLY AWESOME MOVIE!, 2008-08-19
ALL THE ACTORS DID AN INCREDIBLE JOB!!!!!!!! This is a movie we all can relate to from our childhood. FOR THE PRICE ITS A MUST BUY! I HIGHLY RECCOMEND IT!
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