Mean Girls (2004)

MEAN GIRLS

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Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan, "Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen") has had

an exotic upbringing in Africa, but never encounters the jungle until she

enters an American high school for her senior year of schooling. After

becoming friendly with some of the weaker of the species, Cady is convinced

to infiltrate the cattiest clique in the kingdom, but she waivers

maintaining her own unfanged nature when she becomes one of the "Mean Girls."

2003's "Freaky Friday" reteaming of director Mark S. Waters and star Lohan

scores again with "Mean Girls. Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update anchor

Tina Fey has chosen well in adapting Rosalind Wiseman's "Queen Bees and

Wannabes," observing high school societal behavior through a big game

hunter's scope. This deliciously twisted teen comedy crosses the cliques

and makeovers of "Clueless" with the politics of "Heathers.'

Naive Cady's school challenges begin when she's almost hit by a bus before

she's even entered the building. She learns the ropes from Janis (Lizzy

Caplan, TV's "The Pitts"), a goth outsider rumored to be a lesbian, and

Damian (Daniel Franzese, "Party Monster"), Janis's overweight friend whom

even she calls 'almost too gay to function.' Janis (the character's last

name is Ian, a jokey reference to the lesbian folk singer of "Seventeen"

fame) is particularly disdainful of 'the plastics,' the schools three most

popular girls, but she stops Damian from telling Cady just why she hates

them so. When Cady is invited to sit at the imperial lunch table by Regina

(Rachel McAdams, "The Hot Chick"), the trio's leader, she's curious and

joins them. Janis spies an opportunity for inside dope, but the naturally

open Cady finds herself liking hanging with rich girl Regina, gossipy

Gretchen (Lacey Chabert, "Daddy Day Care," "Lost in Space") and clueless

Karen (Amanda Seyfried, TV's "All My Children"). The new plastics begin to

disintegrate, however, when Cady is attracted to Regina's ex, Aaron

(Jonathan Bennett, TV's "All My Children"). As new alliances form within

the upper social strata, Cady is disowned by the original friends who sent

her within their midst. Backstabbing reaches its peak when Regina's

revelation of her own vile secrets incriminates Cady as the girl with the

school's sharpest claws.

"Mean Girls" is a refreshingly honest look at the dynamics of negotiating

the minefields of high school. Tina Fey, who also makes her big screen

debut as the amusing, no-nonsense teacher Ms. Norbury, has done a terrific

job dissecting teen behavior without succumbing to stereotype. The jungle

metaphors are funny, first seen through Cady's eyes when a mall fountain

turns into a watering hole, and not overused. Fads and pack behavior are

addressed, in one instance by Gretchen's attempts to turn the word 'fetch'

into an adjective.

The bevy of young actresses all play their parts convincingly. Under

Waters's direction, Lohan displays none of the shrill hyperactivity that

permeated "Confessions." Instead, she's convincing with her fresh-faced

naivete. The character morphs ever so slightly into something she

shouldn't be without becoming unlikable. Jonathan Bennett is appealing as

the hunky guy who unwittingly causes female infighting and McAdams does a

nice job as the shallow self-preservationist. Lacey Chabert is also quite

good as the girl who needs a trend setter to follow. Amanda Seyfried has

the least to do in the dumb bunny Tara Reid role, but she gives good

bubblehead. Besides Fey's tart turn, the adult standouts include two other

SNL alumni. Amy Poehler ("Envy") is hilarious as Regina's mom, a woman

looking to her daughter's pals for vindication of her own youth and

coolness and school principal Tim Meadows ("The Ladies Man") has an air of

calm, unbelieving acceptance. As Regina's little sister Kylie, Nicole

Crimi has the same creepy, entitled blissfulness exhibited by "Welcome to

the Dollhouse's" ballerina Missy, Daria Kalinina.

While the final act of the film doesn't quite live up to what has come

before (not too mention a sudden shock stolen from the "Final Destination"

flicks), Waters rebounds with a coda that doesn't feel preachy. Young

girls may just stop to examine their behavior after having a good laugh

watching these "Mean Girls."

B

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X-RT-RatingText: B