This is a repeat of the 2004 Mean Girls film, but with a combination of different actors, some returning actors, and musical numbers. Mean Girls is a new revisited experience. In this version, adolescence goes into the modern age of technology. The old version was during the era of flip phones and before social media. In today’s version, social media takes a turn for the worst. Mean Girls is still about favoritism, class divisions and being cool. Mean Girls takes the original high school story up a few notches as it explores a concerning development. The movie is catchy throughout its adolescent-focused direction.

In Mean Girls, the new Cady Heron is played by Angourie Rice. She moves to the United States with her mom Ms. Heron (played by Jenna Fischer). Angourie struggles to fit into the classroom setting in a diverse high school full of dim-wit nerds and jocks. Cady is a brainiac and becomes friends with Janis and Damien. Janis is played by Auli’l Cravalho and Damien is played by Jaquiel Spivey. They are Cady’s mentors in this new world of high school. Cady then becomes friends with the evil Regina George (played by Renee Rapp). Regina’s group also includes Gretchen (played by Bebe Wood) and Karen (played by Avantika). Regina feels she is the queen and able to help Cady learn the rules of being cool and part of her clan, “The Plastics.” Being “plastic” may have its perks for Cady…until it creates a dynamic which impacts her relationship with the boy of her dreams, Aaron (played by Christopher Brinley). The film is entirely the same setup and premise as the 2004 version, but with musical numbers in between the conflicts.

The shift in Cady’s life is where there are realizations of truth. However, the context and the characters do not always seem to fit. For example, Cady’s personality is much shyer this time around. When she does gutsy stuff to boost her popularity, the believability lacks. Audiences watching the new Mean Girls will constantly be thinking back to the 2004 version. Tim Meadows is back as Principal Duvall and Tina Fey is back as Ms. Norbury. Reuniting these two characters will cause audiences to get their hopes up. However, they are in this film for much less time. Their reunion also has little to do with this musical adaptation of the film. Fortunately, focusing on today’s society and its impact on Cady’s character is what increased my appreciation for this version of Mean Girls.

The tensions are high as backstabbing goes back and forth. The “Burn Book” returns and with it the haunting premise of betrayal among adolescents brings realism to Mean Girls. The whole concept of labeling people to assert power over others to be popular is focused on again in this story. The tensions and hormones go awry with added musical moments in this new version of Mean Girls. It is a slick film that searches for answers to the challenges adolescents face today. Three out of four stars for Mean Girls.