I find it interesting that most people were wondered why this movie focused so much on Regina in the marketing instead of Cady just like in the original 2004 movie. Keep in mind that Lindsay Lohan was the biggest star in the cast compare to other actress who played the Plastic members so of course the original's movie marketing focused on Lindsay and nobody was anticipating the outcome that Rachel McAdams' Regina had at that time. Now that Regina is the most popular character in the movie, so i guess that's why they put Regina all over the marketing as if she's the lead when she's just the supporting role who so happens to stole the show
Reneé Rapp is also one of, if not the strongest singer in the cast and has the biggest numbers in the musical. All of these factors make her the obvious choice for the face of the movie.
The Sex Lives Of College Girls is great, I've binged two seasons a few weeks ago and I liked it. I thought she was the highlight of the series, such a shame that she's not going to be the lead in season 3 but I understand that she's focusing on her music a lot. But still, I hope that she gets back to acting after this
The comments about how the film doesn’t feel “stagey” is really intriguing to me. I remember being very disappointed by the Les Mis adaptation, because it really felt like they didn’t take full advantage of the fact that they were making a film and not on a stage. Felt like a big missed opportunity given the revolutionary setting of that story. Glad to hear this doesn’t fall into that trap.
The opposite is true but they did it in a dumb way Imo. The Les Mis director wanted all these close up shots and griminess specifically because that was only something you could get on film. But I think that made him lose sight of why Les Mis the musical works in the first place. His disdain for live theatre/musicals as a medium undermined the movie overall.
@@dazedneptune Maybe that was his intention with the closeups, but ironically, all it served to do was present the story in a very tightly staged manner. For a story like Les Mis, that could have been a sweeping epic on film, it was definitely a bummer, especially when each song had to remove an octave or two for their Hollywood stars to be capable of singing them. Ah, well, c’est la vie.
My problem with Les Miz: The Motion Picture was that the editing was the absolute worst in that they didn't know how to cut on the beat for a musical so it always lurched around. The desire to have the actors live sing was laudible except Russell Crowe was terrible and only Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway, both actual singers, got past that hump. The fact the director would go on to make Cats and pretty much destroy his career says it all.
@@peterschorn2344I actually didn't think Russell Crowe was all that bad for his singing but he's definitely the weakest singer compare to the rest of the cast. Same goes to Pierce Brosnan in the first Mamma Mia movie for me. I think Crowe was at best when he sang alone instead of with the other cast member
The marketing really screwed the public perception of this, I think. It's not really made clear that this is a musical, so it just feels like a cheap, lazy cash grab and I think people are starting to get sick of those.
Musicals haven't been doing well from a general public standpoint. I heard that people at the test screenings adviced Paramount to not advertise this movie as a musical so instead they make it as if it's a remake of the original movie just to trick people when they watched it. Warner Bros did the same from Wonka, you don't see a lot of musical sequences that much in the marketing because the studio doesn't think that musical sells well these days. I guess it's a smart choice for the studio but it also alienated the audience who love the original movie and musical theater fans which I'm both part of it and it can be frustrating
As someone who has followed Renee Rapp for a little bit Dan I wouldn't get my hopes up for seeing her in more movies. She's said in multiple interviews that she would much prefer to concentrate on her music then acting.
It’s a shame because she’s clearly so magnetic on screen. She absolutely smashes the role as Regina, though her music is amazing too so it’s hard for me to say which I’d prefer.
I hope she still gets some time to do her acting. I recently watched The Sex Lives Of College Girls, I thought she was the best part of it but I can understand if she's focusing more on her music which I enjoyed so far but still, never say never about her coming back to acting
I've been saying this for weeks! If Hairspray, Matilda, and The Color Purple can get a musical interpretation coming off from the original movie and turned out to be good, then why the hell not Mean Girls too? As long as Tina Fey is heavily involved, i can definitely sleep peacefully lol
The Netflix Matilda movie is based on the Broadway stage show, which is based on the book. The 90s movie is based on the book. To be honest, I like the 90s film much more than the new one. I also don't think the music or characterisations are that great.
20 years ago that's insane, Wow. I absolutely love the original. One of my favorite teen comedies ever. I can't wait to see how this version stacks up on Friday.
Remakes are hard for me, especially when it comes to really good pop cultural movies like this one! I absolutely love the original Mean Girls and the trailers for this movie really worried me! But I tend to trust your opinion a lot, so maybe I’ll give it a chance!
While i never got the chance to see it live, i know the musical score by heart. I wasn't looking forward to this at all because the trailers looked so lazy and like a cash grab, but this review has made me so much more excited.
Glad to hear that this movie was atleast not too bad after the poor marketing (eventhough i know it was done intentionally as movie musicals are not that popular to like, i blame Cats and Dear Evan Hansen for that, sorry lol 😂). I've been hearing a lot of positive buzz for Renee Rapp's performance as Regina George on Broadway so it would be interesting to see how it turned out in the movie as the movie is going to be my first time seeing her interpretation, it should be a lot of fun. I do like the new song that she recently made with Megan Thee Stallion so not only that i'm looking forward to her acting, but i'm also looking forward to her singing skills. I hope she has a great future ahead of her 🤗
One thing I immediately notice is how much more "age accurate" the casting is. Love Rachel McAdams, Lindsay Lohan, Lacey Chabert, and Amanda Seyfried but in comparison, they look like they should be entering the workforce after a stint at grad school. I love that nowadays you can't get away with casting 30 year olds as teens and even if the actors are older, there's an attempt to have YOUNGER looking actors/actresses.
There isn't that much of a difference. In both versions most of the cast are in their early to mid 20s with a small number who are still teens. Although, me being a teen when the original came out, a 23 year old in my teens looks a lot older to me than a 23 year old now I'm in my 30s.
If you're asking me how many years have passed since Mean Girls...I don't understand the question, and I won't respond to it. - Millennial Lucille Bluth
I am a 29-year old dude, I first saw the first one at an all-boys sleepover, they chose it because “Lindsay Lohan is hot” but I am into musicals and so I went to see this one solo and had kind of a blast. It was a ton of fun
no surprise that Reneé stole the show, my only concern with the film would be if it took itself too seriously, but if it's one of those films that knows it's cheesy and uses that to be funny I know I'll love it
I still eat Toaster Strudel. I think Mean Girls have stayed in pop culture so long not really because of the jokes in the movie but because "mean girls" are a real life thing, even to this day. The leadership at my job have been referred to as "mean girls". I have never seen Mean Girls but I know what people mean when they use that term. And I have heard people use that term who I am pretty sure never saw the movie.
The marketing really did this dirty. Regina was constantly looking Cady up and down like she was into her, and all the clips / trailers showed the most popular scenes from the original. Who was in charge of marketing?😂
I'm probably going to wait to watch this on streaming but I am super excited to see Renee Rapp in this. I think Renee was already playing a version of this role as Leighton Murray in Sex Lives of College Girls so I know she'll kill it with this one.
@Seasonal-Shadow_4674 no exactly the same, but they are similar in some kind of behaviors, so I could imagine the Leighton being Regina after she graduated from high school
@@Seasonal-Shadow_4674 I haven't seen the movie yet so I can't say if the characters are exactly the same but from the trailers, it feels like both characters have similar energies so they could be friends or "frienemies". Also, (spoiler alert).... Renee's character on SLOCG is an "in the closet" lesbian, so that is a big part of her identity and character development.
Curious to check this out. I know you've had a hectic few months. But have you had time to see The Iron Claw? I'd be interested to hear your take on it. Even with it's flaws, it has stuck with me much more than I thought it would.
Just watched the movie today and I had so much fun with it! So happy that it's good and being well received. I'm hoping for more unapologetically female movies like this and Barbie ❤
Dan you’re my favorite movie reviewer but it’s so funny as a non theater person, it wasn’t immediately obvious that Renée Rapp was gonna kill it and become a star. She’s a legend of the great white way…
Man I really hate how movies look at times these days. Its this streaming video quality that you recognize immediately when you see it. 99/100 movies look like this now except for the art house ones. 20 years ago original actually looked cinematic to me. I will probably watch this but only at home.
There is a weird film making trend in the last handful of years to make the footage appear realistic. What filmmakers aren’t understanding is that in making what we are seeing appear real, they are breaking our suspension of disbelief. We need the screen to be, well, a screen. We need to be simultaneously invested in the story while also knowing that we are watching a story. Visual immersion is great for interactive experiences, not so much for passive ones. Watch any movie in 240hz with the frame smoothing on max and it looks like shit.
I saw the original Mean Girls in theaters and liked it before it was cool. I do want to see this new movie. I hope it's a hit and good for movie theaters.
I was 14 when the OG came out, right in the demo. I have listened to most songs from the musical, so I was gonna skip this, but you got me curious now!
I don’t mind a musical and loved the original, so I gave it a chance last night - partially because they were offering a discount if you wear pink. I still prefer the original, but I loved some of the updates - namely more diversity and updated social media use. Some of the casting was as good or better - like Regina, Cady, their moms, Damien, and Janice - but I miss the old Aaron, Gretchen, and Karen. Tina Fey and Tim Meadows are timeless. Loved the fake out that Tina Fey was about to sing a Mary Poppins’ style number to solve bullying.
It was done intentionally, Paramount Pictures did that as they received feedback from the test screening to not advertise this movie as a musical and just trick the audience into thinking that it wasn't a musical movie in the first place as musical live action haven't been doing well (this was before Wonka's success which also followed the same marketing scheme). You can say that it's a smart choice for Paramount to get people to watch it but at the same time, it can be alienating for fans of the original movie and musical theater fans in general
I can confirm that the Broadway production of the Mean Girls musical is one of the best movie-to-stage adaptations that has ever been done and it baffles me that this along with Wonka & The Color Purple have not been marketed as a musical because there's an audience for it that will go to see it
There are many many many more fans of the 2004 movie than the stage musical, and general audiences don't like musicals, so it makes sense that it's trying to appeal to movie fans and Mean Girls 2004 fans over the stage musical fans. That being said, hiding that it's a musical is not the move either
It was done intentionally, Paramount Pictures did that as they received feedback from the test screening to not advertise this movie as a musical and just trick the audience into thinking that it wasn't a musical movie in the first place as musical live action haven't been doing well (this was before Wonka's success which also followed the same marketing scheme). You can say that it's a smart choice for Paramount to get people to watch it but at the same time, it can be alienating for fans of the original movie and musical theater fans in general
I didn't hear good things about the Mean Girls Musical (the stage version), so I had no interest in this movie. I may give it a chance on streaming. I appreciate your review.
I feel like while the story is the same, there are a lot of jokes and character understanding that are dependent on you having seen the og '04 movie. It left out a ton of plot development that the musical had. It felt like a movie that was ashamed that it was a musical.
It was really weired to see Avantika to play such role. She played child actors in Indian films and recently a Disney TV movie as a teenager. But, in the movie her look was absolutely different. U can clearly identify those were implants......
I just came from another review of this Mean Girls and that reviewer torpedoed this version. Totally different view. Interesting contrast on the same movie.
Do they not sell Toaster Strudel out there in... wherever Dan lives now? They are still in grocery stores here, and are pretty popular. In fact I have a box in my freezer right now, as well as few boxes of the spin off Toaster Scramblers. I think they are quite good for a snack. Way better than Pop-Tarts could ever be.
Hi Dan, liked and subscribed ✅. I enjoy seeing movie reviews before the movies to give me more insight. I lost my dad recently now caregiver for my mom who just had a stroke. So the movies are a respite for me. I enjoyed doing little short reviews from a celebrate recovery 12-step perspective. Thought the theme of bullying might resonate with a lot of people. Thanks again. Keep up the great work! 👍🥳
For me this is the worst movie of the year. I almost cut it off 30 minutes in. Awful script where none of the songs were catchy and all the jokes fell completely flat. So many memorable lines were replaced with... nothing. Literally every funny line Tim Meadows had in the original was removed entirely or altered to some confusing statement that had me scratching my head. And if this sounds mean oh well but the actress who portrayed Cady was not attractive enough for me to believe The Plastics would take her in off her looks alone. Not calling her ugly but pretty to the point where she could usurp Regina? Come on now. Same goes for Aaron, he was not a heartthrob to the point I believed these girls would fight over him.
Loved the original since 2004 and totally agree that until about Halloween the movie is just OK. Once you get the one-two of Karen & Regina's songs, things shift into gear.
I wonder why all the movies coming out in January are all singing movies? I can’t stand it! Wonka was like that and the color purple and now mean girls? What is going on?
I find the trailer so weird to watch as it's just scenes from Mean Girls but with the wrong cast, I'm glad to hear the film itself doesn't feel like that
I didn't like it, it seemed more of a rehash of the original movie instead of movie of an inspired musical. The songs were good, but I'm not so in love with them.
It depends on the movie. LA and NYC get preview screenings for almost every movie, and usually get the first ones. Then many of the bigger movies have regional screenings, which is what I generally attend. Travel for me is 4-6 hours depending on the movie, so I have to pick and choose. I’d say there are advance screenings happening in 20-30 cities nationwide, give or take. For most movies, I just go to the first screening on Thursday at home.
@@DanMurrellMovies Damn dude! I know it's not every day, but that commute is still brutal. Why not just move a bit closer to a screening location, even if it's just a couple hours closer?
@@DanMurrellMovies Didn't realize you lived close to family members, thought it was just you and Mara out there! That obviously changes things, my bad!
I never really cared for the original movie until I listened to the musical (saw it later, as good as expected). I love the subtle tweaks it made in the story. I am so looking forward to this, but the marketing is a real turn off with the literal interpretation of the film. Good to know it isn’t a direct copy of the movie with music like it seems.
DAN!?!! I know you love hearing it, but you seemingly have lost all the pepper from your salt and pepper. My top hair has been going Grey since I was 22. The Beard really just started with it, and it's happening fast. Anywho, I know you have a birthday coming up, or just had one, so I'll just finish with a Happy Birthday !!!!
The whoke social media presence is specific to this 2024 film. Unlije Dear Evan Hansen, which used elements of social media protected onto stage, the stage musical of Mean Girls dorsnt use the social media aspect. Strange, eh? Hence, i guess that was a vision of Tina Fey or the director of the film. Although Fey penned all 3 versions, it might have come with the interpretation from stage to screen, since social media just allows you to change scenes instantly. Abd social media is big with Gen Z. So it works. Most people generally have a film perspective having seen the film, whereas i cone from a Broadway perspective. I love the stage musical but have never seen the 2004 film. Hence, my nitpicks come from having 6 songs cut and having different orchestrations. To me, this 2024 film barely passes as a fauthful version of the 2018 Broadway musical. However, jts kind of a win win compromise. Non-Broadway people don't want to sit through a film that's the standard length of a musical 2 hours 30 minutes. Non Broadway people also don't like to listen to typical musical orchestrations that sound like 1920s contemporary pop. You need to modernize the music for musical haters. The film has the Glee-like bop harmonies not present in the stage adaptation and goes with a hard pop-rock style. However, this brings up my criticism? Why did the stage adaptation go harder on Apex Predator, whereas the film did not use the hard guitar sounds on this song I was kind of disappointed. Sone cuts were GOOD such as Whoose House is This since placing a 1980s rap style mau have not gone so well. While musicals can have all types of music from vaudeville to hard rock, people of film generally don't like hearing different genres. And had they placed this song in the film adaptation of the musical, people might have asked WTF? It is fun to see it performed on stage, but not in a 2024 film. Maybe a 1980s film. P.S You should listen to the Broadway version of this song and you would agree with me, it was a good cutm However, i think the story was faithful to the stage musical. While not 1:1, it is pretty close. But why have i said the 2024 is barely a faithful rendition? I'm not as much focused on the story as i am the music. I see musicals for the music. However, regardless o thought the story had s perfect amount of story since musicals are told through song. However, again, my gripe comes from the creators of the film cutting many of the earlier songs from Act 1 which setup sone exposition and more sbout The Plastics. However, i think they sinply did this to appeal to non-Broadway fan by limiting the film to 2 hours, not 2 hours 30 minutes. However, maybe some of the cut songs should go back in just so the film musical can feel more complete.
the trailers for this made the movie look like a soulless cashgrab akin to the Disney remakes, glad to hear it's putting its own spin on the material
Technically speaking, Mean Girls already had its soulless cashgrab 13 years ago with Mean Girls 2.
This isn’t a remake of the original film. This is the movie adaptation of the browdway show.
@@Phobie_2000 Then again the marketing basically hid any mention that this was a musical.
@@MysteryMiiWell there is a music note in the film's title 😂
I was going to skip it, but Dan got me interested
I find it interesting that most people were wondered why this movie focused so much on Regina in the marketing instead of Cady just like in the original 2004 movie. Keep in mind that Lindsay Lohan was the biggest star in the cast compare to other actress who played the Plastic members so of course the original's movie marketing focused on Lindsay and nobody was anticipating the outcome that Rachel McAdams' Regina had at that time. Now that Regina is the most popular character in the movie, so i guess that's why they put Regina all over the marketing as if she's the lead when she's just the supporting role who so happens to stole the show
Also, the woman playing Regina now is the most famous in the cast and has played the role already on broadway.
plus, Reneé Rapp is *the* rising star and also played Regina on Broadway, so it makes perfect sense that they focused on her.
I really like your point of view. I agree for sure
Reneé Rapp is also one of, if not the strongest singer in the cast and has the biggest numbers in the musical. All of these factors make her the obvious choice for the face of the movie.
@@as7terix458I'd say in movie general, Angourie Rice is more popular but in the Broadway club, Renee is definitely the most popular one
Glad to see Renee Rapp getting some recognition. I loved her in Sex lives of college girls and I love her music.
The Sex Lives Of College Girls is great, I've binged two seasons a few weeks ago and I liked it. I thought she was the highlight of the series, such a shame that she's not going to be the lead in season 3 but I understand that she's focusing on her music a lot. But still, I hope that she gets back to acting after this
I would have went for, “The Mean Girls Musical is coming soon to theaters, but is it fetch?”
Stop trying to make fetch happen 😑
It’s never gonna happen 😒
The comments about how the film doesn’t feel “stagey” is really intriguing to me. I remember being very disappointed by the Les Mis adaptation, because it really felt like they didn’t take full advantage of the fact that they were making a film and not on a stage. Felt like a big missed opportunity given the revolutionary setting of that story. Glad to hear this doesn’t fall into that trap.
The opposite is true but they did it in a dumb way Imo. The Les Mis director wanted all these close up shots and griminess specifically because that was only something you could get on film. But I think that made him lose sight of why Les Mis the musical works in the first place. His disdain for live theatre/musicals as a medium undermined the movie overall.
@@dazedneptune Maybe that was his intention with the closeups, but ironically, all it served to do was present the story in a very tightly staged manner. For a story like Les Mis, that could have been a sweeping epic on film, it was definitely a bummer, especially when each song had to remove an octave or two for their Hollywood stars to be capable of singing them. Ah, well, c’est la vie.
My problem with Les Miz: The Motion Picture was that the editing was the absolute worst in that they didn't know how to cut on the beat for a musical so it always lurched around. The desire to have the actors live sing was laudible except Russell Crowe was terrible and only Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway, both actual singers, got past that hump.
The fact the director would go on to make Cats and pretty much destroy his career says it all.
@@peterschorn2344I actually didn't think Russell Crowe was all that bad for his singing but he's definitely the weakest singer compare to the rest of the cast. Same goes to Pierce Brosnan in the first Mamma Mia movie for me. I think Crowe was at best when he sang alone instead of with the other cast member
Mean Girls 2004 is one of the funniest movies of the 21st century
But that isn't this.
The marketing really screwed the public perception of this, I think. It's not really made clear that this is a musical, so it just feels like a cheap, lazy cash grab and I think people are starting to get sick of those.
Musicals haven't been doing well from a general public standpoint. I heard that people at the test screenings adviced Paramount to not advertise this movie as a musical so instead they make it as if it's a remake of the original movie just to trick people when they watched it. Warner Bros did the same from Wonka, you don't see a lot of musical sequences that much in the marketing because the studio doesn't think that musical sells well these days. I guess it's a smart choice for the studio but it also alienated the audience who love the original movie and musical theater fans which I'm both part of it and it can be frustrating
As someone who has followed Renee Rapp for a little bit Dan I wouldn't get my hopes up for seeing her in more movies. She's said in multiple interviews that she would much prefer to concentrate on her music then acting.
It’s a shame because she’s clearly so magnetic on screen. She absolutely smashes the role as Regina, though her music is amazing too so it’s hard for me to say which I’d prefer.
I hope she still gets some time to do her acting. I recently watched The Sex Lives Of College Girls, I thought she was the best part of it but I can understand if she's focusing more on her music which I enjoyed so far but still, never say never about her coming back to acting
I've been saying this for weeks! If Hairspray, Matilda, and The Color Purple can get a musical interpretation coming off from the original movie and turned out to be good, then why the hell not Mean Girls too? As long as Tina Fey is heavily involved, i can definitely sleep peacefully lol
Well Matilda is not based on the movie but the book a better example would be little shop of horrors
But the musical was based off the movie @oliverkindaexists
@@trippinondashroomies2474 Matilda the musical was not based on the movie it is based on the book
The Netflix Matilda movie is based on the Broadway stage show, which is based on the book. The 90s movie is based on the book. To be honest, I like the 90s film much more than the new one. I also don't think the music or characterisations are that great.
The fact that Tina Fey looks the same as she was 20 years ago in the original Mean Girls movie is pretty crazy. But hey, good for her 🤗
Same
she dose not look the same , she looks good but she aged
20 years ago that's insane, Wow. I absolutely love the original. One of my favorite teen comedies ever. I can't wait to see how this version stacks up on Friday.
Remakes are hard for me, especially when it comes to really good pop cultural movies like this one! I absolutely love the original Mean Girls and the trailers for this movie really worried me! But I tend to trust your opinion a lot, so maybe I’ll give it a chance!
While i never got the chance to see it live, i know the musical score by heart. I wasn't looking forward to this at all because the trailers looked so lazy and like a cash grab, but this review has made me so much more excited.
I was nervous because of the trailers, definitely breathing a sigh of relief and can’t wait to see this and American Fiction this weekend!
I swear on everything I was literally about to put toaster strudels in the air fryer righttt when you said that 😭😭 wtf
I still eat toaster strudels LoL
Glad to hear that this movie was atleast not too bad after the poor marketing (eventhough i know it was done intentionally as movie musicals are not that popular to like, i blame Cats and Dear Evan Hansen for that, sorry lol 😂). I've been hearing a lot of positive buzz for Renee Rapp's performance as Regina George on Broadway so it would be interesting to see how it turned out in the movie as the movie is going to be my first time seeing her interpretation, it should be a lot of fun. I do like the new song that she recently made with Megan Thee Stallion so not only that i'm looking forward to her acting, but i'm also looking forward to her singing skills. I hope she has a great future ahead of her 🤗
One thing I immediately notice is how much more "age accurate" the casting is. Love Rachel McAdams, Lindsay Lohan, Lacey Chabert, and Amanda Seyfried but in comparison, they look like they should be entering the workforce after a stint at grad school. I love that nowadays you can't get away with casting 30 year olds as teens and even if the actors are older, there's an attempt to have YOUNGER looking actors/actresses.
Have you seen the guy from Never Have I ever? He's literally 30+ playing a teen
Lindsay was 18 when they were making the movie.
There isn't that much of a difference. In both versions most of the cast are in their early to mid 20s with a small number who are still teens.
Although, me being a teen when the original came out, a 23 year old in my teens looks a lot older to me than a 23 year old now I'm in my 30s.
@@ennythinnteens tend to dress older now than they did in the 90s and 00s too, I think. At least in my country.
Rachel McAdams was 26 years old when she played Regina and I was shocked to know that 😂
20 years ago...
Millennials weep simultaneously
If you're asking me how many years have passed since Mean Girls...I don't understand the question, and I won't respond to it. - Millennial Lucille Bluth
Weep from how beautiful it is. Auliʻi Cravalho, Jaquey Spavey and Renee Rapp exude excellence!
So excited this is getting Dan's endorsement - and that the MG fans in the audience seemed to respond to it as well.
Really looking forward to this!
I am a 29-year old dude, I first saw the first one at an all-boys sleepover, they chose it because “Lindsay Lohan is hot” but I am into musicals and so I went to see this one solo and had kind of a blast. It was a ton of fun
no surprise that Reneé stole the show, my only concern with the film would be if it took itself too seriously, but if it's one of those films that knows it's cheesy and uses that to be funny I know I'll love it
I still eat Toaster Strudel. I think Mean Girls have stayed in pop culture so long not really because of the jokes in the movie but because "mean girls" are a real life thing, even to this day. The leadership at my job have been referred to as "mean girls". I have never seen Mean Girls but I know what people mean when they use that term. And I have heard people use that term who I am pretty sure never saw the movie.
The marketing really did this dirty. Regina was constantly looking Cady up and down like she was into her, and all the clips / trailers showed the most popular scenes from the original. Who was in charge of marketing?😂
Well, Reneé Rapp who plays Regina George is openly queer and says that her interpretation of Regina is queer as well.
I'm probably going to wait to watch this on streaming but I am super excited to see Renee Rapp in this. I think Renee was already playing a version of this role as Leighton Murray in Sex Lives of College Girls so I know she'll kill it with this one.
Totally, like Regina after high school going to college
So playing the same exact character?
@Seasonal-Shadow_4674 no exactly the same, but they are similar in some kind of behaviors, so I could imagine the Leighton being Regina after she graduated from high school
@@Seasonal-Shadow_4674 I haven't seen the movie yet so I can't say if the characters are exactly the same but from the trailers, it feels like both characters have similar energies so they could be friends or "frienemies". Also, (spoiler alert)....
Renee's character on SLOCG is an "in the closet" lesbian, so that is a big part of her identity and character development.
Curious to check this out. I know you've had a hectic few months. But have you had time to see The Iron Claw? I'd be interested to hear your take on it. Even with it's flaws, it has stuck with me much more than I thought it would.
20 years ago was the 80s. I refuse to accept anything else
Just watched the movie today and I had so much fun with it! So happy that it's good and being well received. I'm hoping for more unapologetically female movies like this and Barbie ❤
Dan you’re my favorite movie reviewer but it’s so funny as a non theater person, it wasn’t immediately obvious that Renée Rapp was gonna kill it and become a star. She’s a legend of the great white way…
This is on my watch list but a bit hesitant.
Man I really hate how movies look at times these days. Its this streaming video quality that you recognize immediately when you see it. 99/100 movies look like this now except for the art house ones. 20 years ago original actually looked cinematic to me. I will probably watch this but only at home.
There is a weird film making trend in the last handful of years to make the footage appear realistic. What filmmakers aren’t understanding is that in making what we are seeing appear real, they are breaking our suspension of disbelief. We need the screen to be, well, a screen. We need to be simultaneously invested in the story while also knowing that we are watching a story.
Visual immersion is great for interactive experiences, not so much for passive ones. Watch any movie in 240hz with the frame smoothing on max and it looks like shit.
Dan using the white balance to emphasize the pink tones is a stroke of genius 😂 you love to see it
I saw the original Mean Girls in theaters and liked it before it was cool. I do want to see this new movie. I hope it's a hit and good for movie theaters.
I was 14 when the OG came out, right in the demo. I have listened to most songs from the musical, so I was gonna skip this, but you got me curious now!
I don’t mind a musical and loved the original, so I gave it a chance last night - partially because they were offering a discount if you wear pink. I still prefer the original, but I loved some of the updates - namely more diversity and updated social media use. Some of the casting was as good or better - like Regina, Cady, their moms, Damien, and Janice - but I miss the old Aaron, Gretchen, and Karen. Tina Fey and Tim Meadows are timeless. Loved the fake out that Tina Fey was about to sing a Mary Poppins’ style number to solve bullying.
I'm eager to see this movie but I'm hoping it does follow to closely to the original movie
I saw the face in the thumbnail and i went "oh no.... its not good is it?"......UPDATE: You got me, Dan!! Haha glad it was good!
I am pleasantly surprise by your review, Dan!! It makes me more interested and excited to see it than from just the trailers. Thanks, Dan!!
Dan, you completely nailed it. Hoping this movie is a huge success for the cast, crew and filmmakers who worked so hard on this.
Whatever. I'm getting cheese fries.
Lol underrated comment. Deep cut. ❤😂
I had no idea this was a musical based on the trailer.
It was done intentionally, Paramount Pictures did that as they received feedback from the test screening to not advertise this movie as a musical and just trick the audience into thinking that it wasn't a musical movie in the first place as musical live action haven't been doing well (this was before Wonka's success which also followed the same marketing scheme). You can say that it's a smart choice for Paramount to get people to watch it but at the same time, it can be alienating for fans of the original movie and musical theater fans in general
Well colour me shocked! I love the original and felt like this was a weird movie to make but I'm glad its good.
I’m so happy to hear it’s good. I was nervous because I love the movie and musical version so much. I will definitely have to check it out.
Shout out to the little caption added to Dan's pink-themed thumbnail. 😆
I can confirm that the Broadway production of the Mean Girls musical is one of the best movie-to-stage adaptations that has ever been done and it baffles me that this along with Wonka & The Color Purple have not been marketed as a musical because there's an audience for it that will go to see it
There are many many many more fans of the 2004 movie than the stage musical, and general audiences don't like musicals, so it makes sense that it's trying to appeal to movie fans and Mean Girls 2004 fans over the stage musical fans. That being said, hiding that it's a musical is not the move either
It was done intentionally, Paramount Pictures did that as they received feedback from the test screening to not advertise this movie as a musical and just trick the audience into thinking that it wasn't a musical movie in the first place as musical live action haven't been doing well (this was before Wonka's success which also followed the same marketing scheme). You can say that it's a smart choice for Paramount to get people to watch it but at the same time, it can be alienating for fans of the original movie and musical theater fans in general
You look like a secret, third Green brother to Hank and John
20 year ago Jesus is still remembered renting it from Hollywood video
I didn't hear good things about the Mean Girls Musical (the stage version), so I had no interest in this movie. I may give it a chance on streaming. I appreciate your review.
Now Dan Toaster Strudel is eternal … thanks for the insight
The fact that no one in the cast actually looks like a high schooler was very distracting. Everyone looks like an adult
It's still better than Ben Platt's portrayal of Evan Hansen in his Dear Evan Hansen movie 😂
I feel like while the story is the same, there are a lot of jokes and character understanding that are dependent on you having seen the og '04 movie. It left out a ton of plot development that the musical had. It felt like a movie that was ashamed that it was a musical.
Great review! I cannot wait to watch it tonight! Loved the musical live also!
Loved her in Nice Guys!
Thanks for the review Dan!
I saw a clip of the actress who plays Regina's mother and I honestly feel like she does a better job playing a woman who is competitive and stuck up.
The trailers did this movie no justice
Gonna watch it sometime later in the month. I enjoyed the 2004 one.
Man I thought this new version was better. It was so tight and flowed so smoothly.
It was really weired to see Avantika to play such role. She played child actors in Indian films and recently a Disney TV movie as a teenager.
But, in the movie her look was absolutely different. U can clearly identify those were implants......
Seeing the trailer I didn’t know it was a musical. I really didn’t like the movie and a lot of people on the movie theater were booing the movie.
I just came from another review of this Mean Girls and that reviewer torpedoed this version.
Totally different view. Interesting contrast on the same movie.
Do they not sell Toaster Strudel out there in... wherever Dan lives now? They are still in grocery stores here, and are pretty popular. In fact I have a box in my freezer right now, as well as few boxes of the spin off Toaster Scramblers. I think they are quite good for a snack. Way better than Pop-Tarts could ever be.
Is that the Spiderman girl, Ned's girlfriend?
Oh damn! YT notified me this upload 7h after....ooufff bad
Watching it now!
Thanks Dan
Hi Dan, liked and subscribed ✅. I enjoy seeing movie reviews before the movies to give me more insight. I lost my dad recently now caregiver for my mom who just had a stroke. So the movies are a respite for me. I enjoyed doing little short reviews from a celebrate recovery 12-step perspective. Thought the theme of bullying might resonate with a lot of people. Thanks again. Keep up the great work! 👍🥳
For me this is the worst movie of the year. I almost cut it off 30 minutes in. Awful script where none of the songs were catchy and all the jokes fell completely flat. So many memorable lines were replaced with... nothing. Literally every funny line Tim Meadows had in the original was removed entirely or altered to some confusing statement that had me scratching my head. And if this sounds mean oh well but the actress who portrayed Cady was not attractive enough for me to believe The Plastics would take her in off her looks alone. Not calling her ugly but pretty to the point where she could usurp Regina? Come on now. Same goes for Aaron, he was not a heartthrob to the point I believed these girls would fight over him.
Wow, man, you managed to get me excited for a movie i never even heard of.
Loved the original since 2004 and totally agree that until about Halloween the movie is just OK. Once you get the one-two of Karen & Regina's songs, things shift into gear.
Intros are getting top tier hahaha
Totally forgot this was a thing
I am really surprised by this review; I genuinely did not expect you to say it was actually that good.
I wonder why all the movies coming out in January are all singing movies? I can’t stand it! Wonka was like that and the color purple and now mean girls? What is going on?
I find the trailer so weird to watch as it's just scenes from Mean Girls but with the wrong cast, I'm glad to hear the film itself doesn't feel like that
I really appreciate your review. well worded and thought-provoking
I still eat toaster strudels dan.
I paused @6:25 to do something and Dan looks like a mad villain
They cut out my favorite part. Gretchen and especially Karen's solos in meet the Plastics
i loved the movie, all the songs were great too
Looking forward to it 😀.
It's crazw how fast days go now that I'm 43. I feel likeI wake up and I can get in a movie and then it's time to go to bed already
Very off topic, but is Iron Claw and Anyone but you on your review catch up list?
I didn't like it, it seemed more of a rehash of the original movie instead of movie of an inspired musical. The songs were good, but I'm not so in love with them.
The OG mean girls is a classic!
Dan, how does the preview system for movie critics work? How many cities get the screenings?
Thanks
It depends on the movie. LA and NYC get preview screenings for almost every movie, and usually get the first ones. Then many of the bigger movies have regional screenings, which is what I generally attend. Travel for me is 4-6 hours depending on the movie, so I have to pick and choose. I’d say there are advance screenings happening in 20-30 cities nationwide, give or take. For most movies, I just go to the first screening on Thursday at home.
@@DanMurrellMovies Thank You!
@@DanMurrellMovies Damn dude! I know it's not every day, but that commute is still brutal. Why not just move a bit closer to a screening location, even if it's just a couple hours closer?
@leonkuwata4510 It's a bit hard to pick up my life and move further from family to save a couple of hours of driving time once or twice a month, haha.
@@DanMurrellMovies Didn't realize you lived close to family members, thought it was just you and Mara out there! That obviously changes things, my bad!
I never really cared for the original movie until I listened to the musical (saw it later, as good as expected). I love the subtle tweaks it made in the story. I am so looking forward to this, but the marketing is a real turn off with the literal interpretation of the film. Good to know it isn’t a direct copy of the movie with music like it seems.
I'm not a fan of musicals so i have no desire to see this one. Glad you had a fun time with the movie.
DAN!?!! I know you love hearing it, but you seemingly have lost all the pepper from your salt and pepper. My top hair has been going Grey since I was 22. The Beard really just started with it, and it's happening fast. Anywho, I know you have a birthday coming up, or just had one, so I'll just finish with a Happy Birthday !!!!
your review compared to mine is so much more positive!! LOLOL! Thanks for your review!
The music perform was good but the rest of the movie I would say meangirls 2 is better.
Glad to hear that it is doing it's own thing.
The whoke social media presence is specific to this 2024 film. Unlije Dear Evan Hansen, which used elements of social media protected onto stage, the stage musical of Mean Girls dorsnt use the social media aspect. Strange, eh? Hence, i guess that was a vision of Tina Fey or the director of the film. Although Fey penned all 3 versions, it might have come with the interpretation from stage to screen, since social media just allows you to change scenes instantly. Abd social media is big with Gen Z. So it works.
Most people generally have a film perspective having seen the film, whereas i cone from a Broadway perspective. I love the stage musical but have never seen the 2004 film.
Hence, my nitpicks come from having 6 songs cut and having different orchestrations. To me, this 2024 film barely passes as a fauthful version of the 2018 Broadway musical. However, jts kind of a win win compromise.
Non-Broadway people don't want to sit through a film that's the standard length of a musical 2 hours 30 minutes. Non Broadway people also don't like to listen to typical musical orchestrations that sound like 1920s contemporary pop. You need to modernize the music for musical haters. The film has the Glee-like bop harmonies not present in the stage adaptation and goes with a hard pop-rock style.
However, this brings up my criticism? Why did the stage adaptation go harder on Apex Predator, whereas the film did not use the hard guitar sounds on this song I was kind of disappointed.
Sone cuts were GOOD such as Whoose House is This since placing a 1980s rap style mau have not gone so well. While musicals can have all types of music from vaudeville to hard rock, people of film generally don't like hearing different genres. And had they placed this song in the film adaptation of the musical, people might have asked WTF? It is fun to see it performed on stage, but not in a 2024 film. Maybe a 1980s film. P.S You should listen to the Broadway version of this song and you would agree with me, it was a good cutm
However, i think the story was faithful to the stage musical. While not 1:1, it is pretty close.
But why have i said the 2024 is barely a faithful rendition? I'm not as much focused on the story as i am the music. I see musicals for the music. However, regardless o thought the story had s perfect amount of story since musicals are told through song. However, again, my gripe comes from the creators of the film cutting many of the earlier songs from Act 1 which setup sone exposition and more sbout The Plastics. However, i think they sinply did this to appeal to non-Broadway fan by limiting the film to 2 hours, not 2 hours 30 minutes.
However, maybe some of the cut songs should go back in just so the film musical can feel more complete.
Yay glad you liked it!
Kathleen Kennedy would love this "adaptation" of mean girls.
You going to do a review for Echo?
💜💜💜
A very good review. 🙂👍🏾
Dude, shut up! The original Mean Girls is flawless!
Will you be reviewing 'Priscilla' Dan?
Man loved the original mean girls can’t watch this cause it’s a musical what a shame
Did Lindsay made a cameo ?