Get in, loser! The musical remake of Mean Girls is now available on home entertainment. Take a look at the bonus features. They are so Fetch!
Get in, loser. We are now available on home entertainment! The musical remake of Mean Girls is now yours to own on digital download and disc formats. The film was a box office success, earning $104.4 million against a budget of $36 million. Despite mixed review from critics, the film was a hit with audiences around the world. Paramount Home Video has now released the film to be enjoyed in the comfort of our own homes. The bonus features released with the movie are enough to have any fan salivating.
THE FILM REVIEW
Mean Girls is a 2024 musical remake of the hit 2004 film as well as a big-screen adaptation of the Broadway musical. Once again featuring Tina Fey on screenplay duties, based on the 2002 book Queen Bees and Wannabes by Rosalind Wiseman, the film is in multiplexes now. Featuring a cast that includes Angourie Rice, Auliʻi Cravalho, Christopher Briney, Avantika Vandanapu, and Bebe Wood, with Reneé Rapp reprising her role from the stage musical alongside the returning pair of Tina Fey as Ms Norbury and Tim Meadows as Principal Duvall, the movie is an all singing, all dancing extravaganza. But can it make fetch happen, or does it simply fall flat like a bum note?
SYNOPSIS
New student Cady Heron (Angourie Rice) is welcomed into the top of the social food chain by the elite group of popular girls called “The Plastics,” ruled by the conniving queen bee Regina George (Reneé Rapp) and her minions Gretchen (Bebe Wood) and Karen (Avantika).
However, when Cady makes the major misstep of falling for Regina’s ex-boyfriend Aaron Samuels (Christopher Briney), she finds herself prey in Regina’s crosshairs. As Cady sets to take down the group’s apex predator with the help of her outcast friends Janis (Auli’i Cravalho) and Damian (Jaquel Spivey), she must learn how to stay true to herself while navigating the most cutthroat jungle of all: high school.
THOUGHTS
To be honest with you, the film is almost a shot-for-shot remake of the 2004 film, only with musical interludes included. But that shouldn’t scare you away from this new version. Far from it. It is quite an enjoyable movie that will appeal to a new generation of fans with its vibrant colors, dance routines and catchy tunes. You can bet these new fans will lap it up. The fans of the original film, however, will probably find a lot to complain about or be unhappy with. This isn’t their Mean Girls, it’s for an entirely new generation to discover. And this may not sit well with OG fans.
That isn’t a negative, it’s just the way it’s going to be. Teenagers who loved the 2004 version are now adults. This musical version may detract from their enjoyment compared to that film. While I enjoyed the movie for what it was, others may disagree. Anyone going in expecting to see a classic musical movie such as Grease will be sorely disappointed. In time, the film may be viewed as a classic in the same vein. But it’s like comparing spray-can cream to the real thing. There is no real comparison realistically. It remains to be seen if the film can stand the test of time like the 1978 blockbuster musical has.
THE CAST
The cast all do well in their roles. Angourie Rice as Cady Heron is believable as the character. From sweetness and light when we first meet her to becoming the queen bee before her downfall, Angourie Rice convinces us for the most part. However, she doesn’t quite nail the bitchy side of Cady to our satisfaction. No matter what she does, we can’t find it within ourselves to despise her. Instead, we find ourselves strangely drawn to her, to wrap our arms around her and whisper it’s all going to be ok.
Christopher Briney as Aaron Samuels, Regina’s ex-boyfriend and Cady’s love interest sadly doesn’t convince us that much. We find ourselves indifferent to him for the most part. Of course, we know how things will end but getting there isn’t quite the enjoyable journey that we expect. Instead of going along for the ride beside him, we find ourselves looking at him like a wet blanket, someone who is a complete pushover. And when he verbally chastises Cady at the start of the third act, we don’t believe him for a second.
SUPPORTING CAST
Avantika as Karen Shetty and Bebe Wood as Gretchen Wieners give their all to the other two members of The Plastics. Avantika brings the laughs in a big way as Karen, all beauty, no brains. But we know deep down, Karen isn’t as shallow or as stupid as she makes out, that there is a heart inside her. Avantika immerses herself fully in her role and makes the character all the richer for it. It is to her huge credit that she makes Karen as liable as she is.
The same must be said for Bebe Wood as Gretchen. As that one friend that is constantly put upon, Gretchen isn’t happy with the way Regina treats her. She downright despises her for it but can’t quite bring herself to voice her emotions. Again, there is a softness that lies beneath the front she puts on. Both actresses deserve credit for what they bring to the film.
TINA FEY AND TIM MEADOWS
Both Tina Fey and Tim Meadows return to their roles as Ms Norbury and Principal Duvall with aplomb. Both know what they need to do in their roles and give it to the audience with relish. Again, both of them bring their A-game and the laughs along the way. Duvall tries to keep the peace and order at North Shore High School. And fails miserably. Ms Norbury comes across as almost a motherly figure at times. But she can’t help being sarcastic at certain points of the story. It is nice to see the pair return, giving the audience a welcome feeling of contentment when they are on screen.
RENEE RAPP
Renee Rapp is a revelation as Regina. Fans of the Broadway show know she can act and can easily hold a tune. And she succeeds here completely. Regina is the queen bee, the leader of the plastics. From the moment we meet her, we are eagerly awaiting her downfall. Regina isn’t a nice person. At all. She’s the kind of person we would steer clear of in school, or at least be on her right side. Renee Rapp immerses herself in the role to the film’s success. From a bitchy remark to her downright nefarious ways and scheming. Right up to her fall from grace and her eventual redemption, Renee Rapp embodies the character, making her a stand out throughout the movie.
AULIʻI CRAVALHO AND JAQUEL SPIVEY
But make no mistake about it, it is the pairing of Auliʻi Cravalho and Jaquel Spivey who are the stars that will stick in your mind after the credits have ended. As Janis ‘Imi’ike and Damian Hubbard respectively, the pair shouldn’t be front and center. But they are and the film soars when both are on screen. As Janis, Auliʻi Cravalho is quite simply superb. Janis’ reasons for getting back at Regina and bringing her down a peg or two are easily explained and understandably believable. She even gets her own solo in the film and has the audience in the palm of her hand as she performs the song I’d Rather Be Me. It is a highlight.
Jaquel Spivey as Damien is likewise as good. Damien is Janis’ best friend but comes across as almost a brother. From the minute he appears on screen to the end of the credits, Spivey has us enthralled. And often crying out loud with laughter. Not only can he hold a decent tune, not only can he act brilliantly, but he also possesses comic timing that holds us in the palm of his hand, just waiting for his next witty remark. And when it comes, it doesn’t disappoint. Both have duets together, the best has to be Apex Predator. When the pairing launch into the song, we are hooked.
THE DIRECTION
The direction from Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr., making their feature directorial debuts doesn’t disappoint us either. The scenes that don’t feature any songs are good in themselves. But when we get to a musical performance from the cast, they excel. The musical numbers are all staged and directed with a keen eye. This is a glitzy, glamorous musical and it features choreography and staging that fit the narrative completely. The colorful outfits, set designs and locations all shine through while the cast all hit their marks well.
THE MUSIC
The score for the film by Jeff Richmond fits every scene we see. Both Richmond and Nell Benjamin return to rework their songs from the stage musical for the adaptation. Fans of the Broadway show may be disappointed to learn that many songs didn’t make the cut for this film adaptation. The song It Roars has been replaced by What Ifs, written by Richmond and Benjamin and co-written by Renee Rapp. The song Not My Fault, performed by Renee Rapp and Megan Thee Stallion has been added over the end credits. But what tunes the film contains do fit the narrative and make for an enjoyable, toe-tapping time.
CONCLUSION
The film is an enjoyable, vibrant, and colorful way to spend an evening at home. It is the kind of movie that fans of the Broadway show can sit down with and enjoy while newcomers can sit back and have some great fun with what lies in store. There are a few things that detract from making this an unmissable movie musical extravaganza. These are few and far between but these omissions from the film, or the changing of some of the structure can also cause fans to be less than happy with the end result. Although we can see their point, for the rest of the audience, those who are not familiar with the stage version, we overlook these missing tunes while having a lot of fun.
Fans of the original 2004 movie may find the film isn’t to their tastes. From what they saw and enjoyed in that film to what they will see here, it may leave a sour taste in their mouths afterwards. To them, not even a surprise cameo may soften the blow of what they will see here. The cameo will surely raise a smile but it may not be enough for them. It would be sad if they miss out on what the film contains. There is a lot to like here. The famous Christmas scene remains intact as it should, the performances are superb and it all adds up to a great time at home. It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea but it is a refreshing brew all the same. It would be mean to miss it.
THE BONUS FEATURES
The bonus features that the home entertainment release offers are a great way to go behind the scenes of the movie. These wonderful extras complement the main feature brilliantly. Take a look at what’s on offer:
“A New Age of Mean Girl” — Tina Fey, the cast, and crew discuss a new take on the Mean Girls story and how the drama at North Shore High would unfold in the age of social media.
“Song and Dance” — A behind-the-scenes look of what it took to bring the big musical numbers of Mean Girls to life.
“The New Plastics” — The new cast dives into their memories of watching the original film, their favourite moments/lines, what character they identified with, and what it meant to be cast in the musical.
Gag Reel
“Not My Fault” music video with Reneé Rapp and Megan Thee Stallion.
“I’m Having a Small Get Together at My House” extended scene.
Mean Girls Sing-Along with Select Songs
MEAN GIRLS (2024) is rated 12 for moderate sex references, language, and discrimination.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Mean Girls (2024)
Street Date: April 29, 2024 (4K, Blu-ray™ and DVD)
Rating: 12
4K ULTRA HD™, BLU-RAY™ and DVD discs are presented in a 16×9 letterbox format.
The 4K ULTRA HD™ Feature Film disc includes English Dolby Atmos, French–Canadian, French–Parisian, German, Italian, Spanish-Castilian – Castilian and Spanish – Latin American Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround audio. The disc also includes an Audio Descriptive Track in English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround. The following subtitles will be available: English, English SDH†, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French-Canadian, French – Parisian, German, Italian, Norwegian, Spanish–Castilian, Spanish – Latin American and Swedish. English subtitles are also available for the sing-along.
The Blu-ray™ Feature Film disc includes English – Dolby Atmos, French – -Canadian, French-Parisian, German, Italian, Spanish – Castilian and Spanish – Latin American Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround audio along with an Audio Descriptive Track in English – Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround. It offers the following subtitles English, English SDH†, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French – Canadian, French – Parisian, German, Italian, Norwegian, Spanish – Castilian, Spanish – Latin American and Swedish. English subtitles are also available for the sing-along.
The DVD Feature Film disc includes English – Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Surround, French – Canadian, French – Parisian, German, Italian, Spanish – Castilian Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround audio, Japanese Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo L/R. It offers the following subtitles English, English SDH†, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French–Canadian, French–Parisian, German, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Spanish – Castlian and Swedish.
OUR RATING ON THE FILM AND THE BONUS CONTENT
Mean Girls is now available on Digital and on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD from Paramount Home Entertainment. To order your physical copy, click here.
A big thank you to our friends at Paramount Home Entertainment for our review copy.
Introducing Carl! As the News Editor at Future of the Force, Carl has been an invaluable member of our team since early 2016. His expertise and dedication have made him an integral part of our editorial staff. Beyond his professional role, Carl is a fervent supporter of Liverpool F.C. and an avid follower of pop culture. He has a deep passion for Halloween, Friday the 13th, and the iconic movie franchises Star Wars and Star Trek.
He can be found either at his neighborhood cinema, enjoying the latest releases on the big screen, or at home streaming the newest blockbuster movies.
