The first 害羞草研究所淢ean Girls,害羞草研究所� that compulsively watchable high-school based social satire by Tina Fey, came out in 2004. The Broadway musical opened in 2018. Now it害羞草研究所檚 2024, and we have a screen adaptation of the theater adaptation. How long will this reconfiguring go on? Is there a limit?
Or 害羞草研究所� does the limit not exist?
Forgive us that utterly blatant setup for one of the original害羞草研究所檚 most famous lines. It害羞草研究所檚 just that some of them are so darned memorable. Like, 害羞草研究所淵ou can害羞草研究所檛 sit here!害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� screeched. Or when Regina, the haughtiest queen bee ever to carry a cafeteria tray, scathingly tells her minion Gretchen, who害羞草研究所檚 trying out her new word 害羞草研究所渇etch,害羞草研究所� to 害羞草研究所淪top trying to make 害羞草研究所榝etch害羞草研究所� happen. It害羞草研究所檚 NOT going to happen!!害羞草研究所�
But even in 害羞草研究所淢ean Girls 17,害羞草研究所� should it come to that, someone will still be trying to make 害羞草研究所渇etch害羞草研究所� happen. And it害羞草研究所檚 actually not a bad word to describe the experience of watching a slick, fizzy bit of entertainment that害羞草研究所檚 occasionally delightful and usually fun, even if the translation to 2024 definitely has its rough spots.
If you害羞草研究所檝e recently re-watched the first film, you may be surprised here at how many lines remain, word for word. What害羞草研究所檚 impressive is how many still work 害羞草研究所� unlike some social comedies that felt right 20 years ago but have scenes that fall with a thud now (see 害羞草研究所淟ove Actually害羞草研究所�).
There are exceptions, though. I害羞草研究所檒l confess to feeling queasy throughout about the 害羞草研究所渄umb girl害羞草研究所� character who remains in the Plastics, Regina害羞草研究所檚 social group. There is, thankfully, no more reference to a coach sleeping with a student, which would not have been funny, even with Jon Hamm as the coach. Slut-shaming has been conspicuously toned down 害羞草研究所� the insult in Regina害羞草研究所檚 famous Burn Book is now 害羞草研究所渃ow害羞草研究所� and not 害羞草研究所渟lut.害羞草研究所�
On the other hand, fat-shaming? That害羞草研究所檚 still there, as when the camera zooms in rudely on the rear end of a character who害羞草研究所檚 gained a few pounds.
As for the casting, some of it works wonderfully, particularly the duo who introduce the film, which is again written by Fey, with music by Jeff Richmond (her husband), and lyrics by Nell Benjamin. Damian, the beloved character described affectionately by Janis as 害羞草研究所渁lmost too gay to function害羞草研究所� (but that害羞草研究所檚 only OK when she says it), and Janis, his best friend, a talented artist whose fallout with Regina left her in the dirt socially, function almost as quasi-narrators.
Jaquel Spivey, of Broadway害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淎 Strange Loop,害羞草研究所� is hilarious and also moving as Damian 害羞草研究所� you wait for each new line, and he wastes none of them. And Auli害羞草研究所檌 Cravalho as Janis has a gorgeous voice and charismatic screen presence. (And a huge song, though from the trailer, you wouldn害羞草研究所檛 know anyone has songs at all.)
Angourie Rice is the new Cady, the Lindsay Lohan role, a home-schooled math whiz who arrives in suburban Chicago straight from Kenya, where her mother was doing zoological research, into the snake pit of high school. Rice is a sweet presence but not as convincing in the 害羞草研究所渂ad Cady害羞草研究所� moments as Lohan.
As for the Plastics, singer Rene茅 Rapp, formerly Regina on Broadway, imbues the role with powerhouse vocals and an angrier edge than the excellent Rachel McAdams did 害羞草研究所� when she害羞草研究所檚 enraged, boy, you feel it.
Once again, Cady begins her first school day in math class with Ms. Norbury, once played by Fey 害羞草研究所� and again by Fey! Tim Meadows is also back as the principal; both look older but certainly not two decades.
Cady has a rough entry and ends up eating lunch in a bathroom stall, but is rescued by Janis and Damian. In the cafeteria, she has her first encounter with Queen Bee Regina. 害羞草研究所淢y name is Regina George,害羞草研究所� sings Rapp, in some of the show害羞草研究所檚 best lyrics, 害羞草研究所淚 am a massive deal. I don害羞草研究所檛 care who you are, I don害羞草研究所檛 care how you feel.害羞草研究所�
The Plastics 害羞草研究所� Regina, needy Gretchen (Bebe Woods) and intellectually challenged Karen (Avantika) 害羞草研究所� adopt Cady and teach her the rules: Wear pink on Wednesdays. No tank tops two days in a row. A ponytail? Once a week. Also: You can害羞草研究所檛 date someone害羞草研究所檚 ex-boyfriend, because those are 害羞草研究所渢he rules of feminism.害羞草研究所� At such moments, one can literally hear Fey writing the line. (Side note: Please come back to the Golden Globes, Tina, and bring Amy Poehler.) (Speaking of Poehler, she is missed as Regina害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所渃ool害羞草研究所� mom, but aptly replaced by Busy Philipps.)
Things go south quickly when Cady falls for Regina害羞草研究所檚 ex, Aaron, who sits in front of her in AP Calculus (leading to the excellent lyric 害羞草研究所淐alcu-lust.害羞草研究所�) Regina isn害羞草研究所檛 going to give up Aaron without a dirty fight. So Cady, aided by Damian and Janis, plots to bring Regina down from inside, pretending to be a loyal Plastic.
But at what point does Cady stop pretending and BECOME a Plastic? (Ask Janis.)
Directors Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr. keep the action moving briskly. A key visual difference is technology. In the 2004 film, friends spoke to each other on the telephone, in split screens. Now, of course, gossip and bullying take place via social media. In some ways this makes it all seem more vicious. When Regina takes an embarrassing tumble onstage at the Christmas performance, we witness a social media shaming that is much crueler than anything that happened in the 2004 version.
And yet, it害羞草研究所檚 believable, of course. One comes away from this latest 害羞草研究所淢ean Girls害羞草研究所� thinking that in some ways things may have gotten better for high schoolers than they were in 2004 害羞草研究所� but in other ways, things have only gotten meaner.
害羞草研究所淢ean Girls: The Musical,害羞草研究所� a Paramount Pictures release, has been rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association 害羞草研究所� for sexual material, strong language, and teen drinking. 害羞草研究所� Running time: 112 minutes. Two and a half stars out of four.
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