Mean Girls (Full Screen Edition)
by Mark Waters
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Ana Gasteyer, Jonathan Bennett, Lacey Chabert, Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdamsDirector: Mark Waters
Brand: Paramount
Writer: Tina Fey
Producer: Jennifer Guinier
Producer: Jill Sobel Messick
Producer: Lorne Michaels
Producer: Louise Rosner
Producer: Tony Shimkin
Writer: Rosalind Wiseman
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); English (Original Language); French (Original Language)
Format: Collector's Edition, Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC, Special Edition, Subtitled
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 97 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2004-09-21
Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Movie Reviews of Mean Girls (Full Screen Edition)
Movie Review: Absolutely the best film EVER!!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
It's amazing how a movie with a title as rudimentary and as scary-sounding as "Mean Girls" could wind up being so... surprisingly exquisite. So far, Kelvin and I have learned one very crucial fact of life: that you should never judge a book by its cover, or in this case, a movie by its title. This was part of the reason that we never actually got around to seeing this title in theaters, which I sorrowfully regret even to this day, but we went on and took a gamble by purchased it shortly after it was released on DVD (which would have been a little cheaper anyway). After seeing the previews and learning that Lindsay Lohan was featured in it, I nearly jumped out of my seat with excitement, as I admired her in another exceptional movie entitled `Get a Clue', which premiered exclusively on the Disney channel during the summer of 2002.
`Mean Girls' is the first of at least twenty movies that I have seen in the past decade that has managed to draw me as deep as quicksand to the point that I am forced to watch it at least twice a week. It evolves into a funny, interesting, satirical, heartwarming, fun, charming, impartial, romantic, mysterious, and moral-driven story (not necessarily in that order) and then it stays that way. This is just one of those movies by which you should never judge the title before actually seeing it, or at least hearing about it first. I will admit that the title somewhat threw me off, but it turned out to be quite the opposite of what I had expected. I thought that this was going to be a film centered upon warring genders or one of those battle-of-the-sexes type stories (which we abhor tremendously). Boy, were we ever wrong! There is absolutely nothing like that in this at all! It's more like a civil war within the same gender.
In addition to the rudimentary title of the film, we were somewhat baffled by the fact the MPAA rated it PG-13. We had seen the previews, and there didn't appear to be anything too incongruous for a general audience. However, after watching the first 15 minutes of it for the first time, we immediately understood the MPAA's decision to give it that rating (although some of this stuff almost feels as if it were forced into the movie just for the sake of having it rated PG-13). While the aforesaid warnings of sexual content, teen partying, and foul language present themselves prior the start of the film, there's definitely some other stuff that one would not normally recommend to anyone under 13.
One aspect of `Mean Girls' that [...] like a whirlpool was the Math elements. The subject of focus here is Calculus. In fact, about 36% of the story revolves around it in some way. I also very much devoted math fan and it still stands as my favorite subject. I've always wanted to see a movie (or television show) in which the characters actually like Mathematics, instead of crying about how much they loathe the subject, or any other such nonsense. Those don't come around too often, as Mathematics seems to be a very unpopular subject these days.
Before I start delving into the plot/storyline of `Mean Girls', let me caution you by saying that if you dislike profanity in your movies, then you'll definitely want to avoid this title at all costs, as its replete with indecent language. The characters cuss a lot (not that any of this bothers us by the way) and call each other some of the most degrading names, particularly the "b" word, which is uttered in one form or another exactly 16 times (yeah, we counted). However, the "f" word, which comes close enough to being heard, is forcibly omitted, which is probably the only thing that separated this movie from a rating of "R".
The story of `Mean Girls' takes place in Evanston, Illinois, where Cady Heron has just moved to from somewhere in Africa (Namibia, we're told) after being home-schooled for the last twelve years. It is her junior year and her first time at a public school. After the first day of high school, which amounts to nothing more than a disaster, Cady is greeted by two classmates, Janis and Damian, who befriend her and give her a tour of North Shore High School. On this same day, Cady encounters a trio known as the "Plastics" and they befriend her as well and accept her as a fourth member of their clique. Now, of course, this is all very fine and dandy, as Cady's essential purpose here in this vast new land is to get socialized. It's not until a character named Regina George, the leader of the Plastics, discovers a secret love affair that Cady holds upon a former male companion of hers that things start to go downhill. To prevent Cady from having a chance with this character, named Aaron Samuels, Regina George decides to rekindle her former relationship with him. At this point, it's up to Cady and her two real friends to disassemble this relationship and dethrone the "evil dictator" by whatever means necessary, so that Cady's chances of having any kind of social future are revitalized, while Janis and Damian enjoy the satisfaction of getting revenge on Regina George in the process.
Another aspect of `Mean Girls' that I find particularly remarkable is that it somehow manages to follow in the footsteps and blend elements from all five of the previous films that featured Lindsay Lohan, including lines, objectives within the plot, character names, character personalities, etc. For instance, anyone familiar with the 2002 remake of `Get a Clue' will notice a character whose first name is "Taylor"; Lohan's character utters the line "That's so sweet"; the line "Do you think I'm an idiot?" presents itself; and there is a character who uses a camcorder in public. Fans of the 2003 remake of `Freaky Friday' will encounter characters getting hit on the head with a ball of some kind, there is a remarkably similar one-on-one interaction with the teacher, and the conclusions of both stories are virtually identical, and they both suggest the possibility of sequel. Of course, this makes perfect sense when one considers the fact that both films were directed by Mark S. Waters. Fans of the 1998 remake of `The Parent Trap' are also in for quite a surprise, as the plot structure consists of overthrowing a more powerful figure and disassembling a relationship between two would-be lovers. Additionally, the lines "That's not part of the plan" and "What's the 411?" are present. Anyone familiar with `Life Size' will probably notice that there's a mention of Barbie dolls, such that the resemblance of one is a focal point. As for Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen (other than the fact that both movies were released in 2004), it does a fairly decent job of teaching its viewers that lying is not okay.
One of the most outstanding qualities of `Mean Girls' is the surpassing level of intrigue. This is a movie replete with a great deal of mystery. However, unlike many other films which contain a barrage of mysterious elements that leave you hopelessly in the dark, `Mean Girls' succeeds in maintaining just the right balance between level of intrigue and interest factor, as the embedded mysteries stray away from the error of weakening any part of the story, while at the same time keeping you focused on the events at hand. Throughout this story, you'll probably find yourself wondering, "From which African country did Cady immigrate?" You'll probably also question the fate of the Burn Book, or the fact that Regina George is obsessed with losing 3 lbs. Perhaps the most important mystery is the one in which Regina George practically drafts Cady as a fourth member of the "Plastics" out of at least 150 other girls in the lunch room. Of course, there are many other noteworthy mysteries hidden within the story of `Mean Girls', and only the most vigilant of viewers will be able to catch them all. We'll simply leave you to discover for yourself, lest we distribute too much information.
Another one of the most noteworthy features of `Mean Girls' is that it is moral-driven. Here are some of the embedded morals that we just couldn't help but notice throughout this story:
1. You can't get someone to like you by pretending to be someone you are not.
2. Allowing too much fame and popularity to go your head will lead to your downfall.
3. What goes around always comes right back around.
4. Be careful of what you say and to whom you say it.
5. Even the planet's most saccharine characters have poisonous side.
6. It's probably never a GOOD idea to announce your crushes to a group of strangers, or that you even have a crush for that matter.
7. Finally, you should never, EVER under any circumstances fail an exam deliberately.
Though `Mean Girls' could have easily been entitled after `Queenbees and Wannabees', a nonfiction literary piece by Rosalind Wiseman, which is where `Mean Girls' spawns its general theme, the chosen title is by no means far from accuracy. As the title implies, the girls (not just the Plastics) in this story are mean to each other (and mostly everyone else) and they generally stay that way. The concept of meanness is genuinely reflected throughout the entire story, especially at the beginning, which consists of Kristen Hadley, one of the story's bigger characters, imposing physical harm upon Cady for something as simple as ever speaking to her again. It fares quite well in poking fun at this concept, as well as the pressures of high school life and the difficulties that accompany the process of socialization. Speaking as someone who has recently graduated from high school, the accuracy of this movie's depiction of high school is right on target, save for the principal dropping by to announce that there is a new student from Africa (In the real world, no one would care) or being forced to have a parent's signature on every test that received a grade of "F" (At least, not in our experience).
`Mean Girls' is truly a gem a film that surpasses excellence beyond imagination. In fact, I would go so far as to say that it is perfect. Okay, so to be fair, it does make a few minute mistakes here and there (We're quite sure that a 58 is an "F" and not a "D"), but they are easily forgivable, as they have no virtual impact on the outcome of the story. What little bit of mistakes it does make, it makes up for them, thereby reducing their significance to molecules of dust. In order for a movie to be perfect (at least by KAB standards), it must satisfy the following set of criteria: the story/plotline must be decent, logical, and easy to understand. The average person could probably watch this film and be able to follow each event in only 3 trials or less (for us, it only took two). Secondly, a perfect movie absolutely must have a solid impartiality factor, that is, the feeling that each event as it is experienced by the characters is fair and square. Definitely not a problem here as the impartiality factor in `Mean Girls' remains rock solid from start to finish. Every event is fair and square. Additionally, a movie deserving of "perfect" status must be at least interesting, so as not to put its viewers to sleep. We had no trouble staying awake during the motion picture's 96 minutes and 44 seconds. Such a movie should also strive to have some degree of comedic value. Once again, not a problem here; there's definitely some parts that would succeed in making anyone with a sense of humor cackle hard enough to get a sore stomach. Finally, a perfect movie should also have some degree of lasting appeal, or replay value. Not a problem (for us at least). Discovering the embedded morals and hidden mysteries and trying to solve them all somehow manages to force anyone truly interested to re-watch it. Boosting the replay value area is the fact that the DVD edition is replete with tons of special features, including an in-depth making of the film, nine deleted scenes, a theatrical trailer, which basically delivers a three-minute synopsis of the entire film, and a "word vomit" portion, which shows some of the bloopers that presented themselves in the making. There's no music video, however. (Darn!)
Though we have succeeded in seeing all six of the currently available motion pictures featuring Lindsay Lohan, this one was actually the fourth one we had seen with her in it. (COATDQ and `Freaky Friday', respectively, were the last two.) Not only is it her latest, but it is also her greatest (at least in our opinion). It single-handedly puts all the rest them to shame simply by repairing each and every one of their shortcomings. Let's fact it: `Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen', while not a terrible movie by any means, was just... well... WEIRD!! The plot/storyline of that film was awkward and confusing, and more than half its events were questionable at best. Furthermore, it suffered from harsh dialogue in some areas. The 2003 remake of `Freaky Friday' was indeed a film of high caliber, which is probably superior to the 1977 original (We have yet to see that one), but unfortunately, there were some things there that we found particularly disturbing. Aside from having a weak impartiality in some parts (particularly the beginning), it suffers from a lack of reconciliation between the protagonists and antagonists (unlike the `MG' story), and the teacher in that movie is an absolute jerk (unlike the `MG' teacher), who basically fails deliberately out of contempt, any attempt to explain why you received the grade that you received on a paper or quiz is approached with a lackluster effort combined with an offensively snide attitude. `Get a Clue', however, is pretty much the main reason that Kelvin and I even consider ourselves fans of Lindsay Lohan. In fact, it's because of this movie that `Mean Girls' got us interested. It trails `Mean Girls' by one decimal point of perfection, simply because it's missing one very important piece of information that would have bridged the gap between a clandestine love affair between two of the characters and a marriage, which only succeeds in leaving you in the dark as the why the conclusion of this one part of the story turned out the way it did. If you ask us, `Mean Girls' is far from being Lohan's meanest role (it's actually one of her nicer roles); that honor belongs to `Life Size', another excellent kid-friendly Disney film, whose only fault was being a little too dull in some parts. As for the 1998 remake of `The Parent Trap', it was a great film (not just because it launched her career on the big screen), but it suffers from being a little too harsh and a little too serious with the dialogue, a problem that's virtually nonexistent in the 1961 original (We have seen that one also). In conclusion, if you're in search of the most polished movie featuring Lindsay Lohan available as of today, then look no further because here it is. This is just the kind of movie that we had only dreamt of seeing. It is also by far one of the most magical pieces of work to come along in a very long time, which should NOT be overlooked by former high school students, math lovers, N64 fans (it shows that gaming console in the movie by the way), sociologists (there's also a great deal of sociological aspects to be found here), and of course, fans of Lindsay Lohan, who clearly shines the brightest in her role as "Cady Heron." SO, what are you waiting for? Get out there and FETCH this movie... immediately!!
The KAB ratings -
Plot/Storyline: 10
Impartiality Factor: 10
Interest Factor: 10
Comedic Value: 10
Lasting Appeal: 10
Overall Evaluation: 10 Perfect!
Reviewer: Baron
Summary of Mean Girls (Full Screen Edition)
MEAN GIRLS SPECIAL COLLECTOR'S EDITIO - DVD MovieThe cutting wit of Tina Fey (the first female head writer for Saturday Night Live) brilliantly fuses pop culture and smart satire. Fey wrote Mean Girls, in which a formerly home-schooled girl named Cady (Lindsay Lohan) gets dropped into the sneaky, vicious world of the Plastics, three adolescent glamour-girls who dominate their public high school's social hierarchy. Cady first befriends a couple of art-punk outsiders who persuade her to infiltrate the Plastics and destroy them from within--but power corrupts, and Cady soon finds the glory of being a Plastic to be seductive. Mean Girls joins the ranks of Clueless, Bring It On, and Heathers, cunning movies that use the hormone-pressurized high school milieu to put the dark impulses of human nature--ambition, envy, lust, revenge--under a comic microscope. Fey manages to skewer everyone without forgetting the characters' hapless humanity; it's a dazzling and delightful balancing act. --Bret Fetzer
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