Late Valentines Day Special: Mean Girls

Considered by many as Lindsey Lohan's best work, Mean Girls is just a regular story of high school teen cliques.  However, screenwriter Tiny Fey adds a little touch to make what seems like the same, unimaginative story feel as fresh as a daisy.  I think that Mean Girls is the best high school film ever made, and that's a huge statement.

Little story, lots to say.  Cady Heron (Lohan) is a new girl who starts high school her junior year after moving from Africa.  Although Heron thinks she knows survival of the fittest, she enters learning that there is much psychically and mentally challenging it is to be in high school, from academics stress to what this film is about - social stress.  She becomes a hit after joining the A-list clique of rich, pretty skanks, the Plastics (well written, Fey, well written), led by Regina George (Rachel McAdams) and her "backups", Gretchen Wieners and Karen Smith (Lacey Chabert and Amanda Seyfried).  Four great characters from the start.

The first friend Heron makes before joining the cliques is Janis Ian (Lizzy Caplan, who calls her "Caddy") and Damien (Daniel Franzese).  Janis has a dark past with Regina, so once Cady joins the Plastics, Janis has her chance of redemption.  Later on, Cady falls for Aaron Samuels (Jonathan Bennett), who was Regina's ex-boyfriend.  After finding this out from Gretchen, it gets real, so Regina hooks up with Aaron again.  

In an attempt to keep the rest of the story a surprise, this is where my summary stops.

This film feels so authentic, not just for a regular movie-goer, but for a high school or even middle school teenager.  It feels stupid, because it supposed to be stupid, but Tina Fey sharpens this film up to be not only entertaining, but interesting as well, because we've all experienced these kinds of people in high school.  Whether it be the modest, cute girl; the spoiled, rich whore; her incredibly tolerant mother; her personality-lacking friends; the girl who looks goth but actually isn't; or the kid who looks to be involved in the Drama Department but you can determine his sexuality.

This isn't one of my particularly favorite ensemble casts (of course, nothing goes ahead of Pulp Fiction, Dr. Strangelove, and especially Full Metal Jacket), but it's sure a good one.  None of the main characters feel vague or underdeveloped.  You feel entranced as if you're interacting with the students - that, or Cady's narration - but not to an extent where it feels overwhelming.  

I like this film a lot.  I know that's not very surprising to hear, but it's a good hour and a half.  The time flies in this movie.  It's flawed, sure, but it's one any teenager especially shouldn't miss.  Mean Girls gets a strong 3/4.