With one of the most popular movies of the early 2000s getting a musical remake, many fans have found reasons to criticize it.
When the original “Mean Girls” (starring Lindsay Lohan as Cady Heron and Rachel McAdams as Regina George) came to the big screen on April 20, 2004, it grossed $130 million worldwide and became a quotable favorite, especially among Millennial viewers. Tina Fey (who played Ms. Norbury in the original and the new version), wrote “Mean Girls” based on the book “Queen Bees and Wannabes” by Rosalind Wiseman. On April 8. 2018, the Broadway musical version of “Mean Girls” premiered at the August Wilson Theatre.
The newest version of the film is a combination of film remake and Broadway coming to the screen. When two versions of “Mean Girls” combine to create a musical film, there will be controversy with the audience watching the movie.
One of the biggest things that drew the attention of fans was the advertising in the movie. According to Cosmetics Business, “TikTok and Instagram users have complained about the drugstore products being advertised in the musical adaptation of the 2004 teen blockbuster film, stating it feels forced.”
Fans took notice of this advertising and were quick to complain. A notable moment is when Cady Heron, played by Angourie Rice, references an exact product name – e.l.f. Cosmetics O Face Satin Lipstick. With e.l.f. popping up randomly and not-so-subtly throughout the movie, people thought it was bad advertising and made it look forced.
Fans didn’t just notice how bad the product placement was, they also were quick to pick up on the singing – or lack thereof. TikTok users pointed out how Rice sounds flat, like she had no emotion in her songs, or worse, like AI. The New York Post mentions how one TikTok user commented on a video, “WHEN ANGOURIE RICE SAYS SNAKE EAT A COW, IT SOUNDS LIKE AN AI SANG IT.”
Many viewers compared Rice’s singing to that of Reneé Rapp, who played Regina George. Rapp has a background in musical theater and played Regina in the “Mean Girls” Broadway production from 2019 to 2020. Rapp portrays Regina beautifully in the film adaptation of the musical and is the saving grace of the film despite the poor writing.
The movie wasn’t terrible; there have been worse remakes of movies and Broadway adaptations. But there are also things in the remake that could’ve been done better. The new version cuts scenes that made the original movie iconic. Countless things could’ve been done differently to make the movie better, but overall it was an okay movie. Viewers would be better off watching the 2004 version instead of sitting through the two hours of the remake.
