This week I am going to discuss one of my favorite movies, which also happens to make appearances all over Tumblr. Mean Girls is a modern version of the Breakfast Club and a staple in today’s pop culture. If you haven’t seen it, I really recommend that you do. It is not the most intellectually stimulating film, but it’s pretty fun, heartwarming and relatable. Many would agree that they had a Regina George in their high school with a posse of “plastics” who were rulers of the social jungle.
A quick synopsis and background: (Don’t worry no spoilers)
Cady is a sixteen-year-old girl who moves back to America after being raised and homeschooled by her zoologist parents in Africa. Having never gone to high school before, Cady is in for a rude awakening as she battles teenage psychological warfare and unwritten social rules. She instantly becomes friends Damian and Janis, who are nice kids, but not considered “cool” by teenage standards. Cady also meets the “plastics”, the three crude, beautiful, popular girls – 1) Regina: the leader 2) Gretchen: Regina’s full-time follower and 3) Karen: the stupid one. They immediately let Cady into their group, but Cady is unsure. Damian and Janis convince Cady to maintain her friendship with the plastics so that they can find out the group’s dark and interesting secrets. However, this simple plan begins to change when Cady falls for Regina’s ex-boyfriend, Aaron Samuels. When Regina finds out that Cady likes Aaron, she seeks revenge and gets back together with Aaron. In a passive aggressive scheme, Cady remains friends with Regina while she, Janis, and Damian begin to plot together to destroy Regina’s social image. However, as Cady spends more time with the plastics, she too begins to become one.
Tina Fey was the screenwriter for this film, and both she and best friend Amy Poehler have roles in the movie. These two SNL stars are hysterical. Tina Fey plays Ms. Norbury, Cady’s teacher and mentor. Amy Poehler is Regina George’s mom. She says she’s “not a regular mom [she’s] a cool mom”. Mrs. George is obsessed with Botox and boob jobs and tries to dress like her teenage daughter.
Many Mean Girls quotes have permeated into everyday expressions. Examples include “four for you glen coco, you go glen coco”, “you don’t even go here” and “you can’t sit with us”.
Mean Girls definitely depicts the humorous and horrible aspects of high school. It is relatable in that most of us have probably seen similar circumstances – though I hope not as extreme. In the end, Cady does realize the value in real friends, not plastic ones.
