As a remake of an iconic movie and Broadway production, I previously thought that the 2024 Mean Girls movie was destined for failure. 

Theater aficionados were unhappy with the decreased amount of songs as well as the musical quality (quite autotuned). In contrast, people who enjoyed the original Mean Girls were caught off guard by the musical aspect of the 2024 remake, which marketing neglected to showcase. The result was a generally dissatisfied public. 

However, the movie wasn’t a complete catastrophe. Opening weekend, Mean Girls 2024 grossed around 28 million dollars, an incredible feat in the film industry. As of January 28th, the film has grossed 83 million dollars. 

In my opinion, Mean Girls 2024 has garnered the accomplishment it deserves. While the film was not unbelievably extraordinary, I found it to be enjoyable. The humor was on point, and quite faithful to the original. Multiple scenes (particularly scenes involving teachers) had me chuckling.  Janis and Damien were hysterical, up to the same flamboyant antics, and Kevin G’s jokes were a definite highlight. 

I also thought that the vocals were astounding. Although many people have expressed disappointment with Cady’s singing skills, I wasn’t terribly offended, and I think that Janis and Regina’s songs more than made up for any mediocre performance. My only criticism would probably be of the automated demeanor of certain songs. However, it should be noted that I have never seen Mean Girls the Musical, and therefore have a lower standard for the score of Mean Girls 2024.

Another criticism I heard rather frequently was that Mean Girls 2024 is too modern, and subsequently “embarrassing”. While there is some truth to this statement, I would argue that the producers of Mean Girls 2024 sufficiently drew from the original movie (in terms of fashion and plotline) while keeping it culturally relevant. 

I believe the Mean Girls movie actually improved in some areas, specifically as it pertains to diversity. There were so many people of different backgrounds, which really created a sense of reality in the film. Additionally, the story of Janis Ian and Regina George was not brushed aside as it was in the original, and Janis was allowed to celebrate her queer identity.

So, does the 2024 Mean Girls remake deserve a spot in the burn book? I personally don’t think it does. While it may fall short of the original movie in some ways, I think it is a fun film to watch. Just don’t go to the theater expecting to leave any nicer!