By: debbie lynn elias
High school junior Cady Heron was home schooled in Africa by her two anthropologists parents and as a result is, let’s face it, not only brilliant, but mature beyond her years. On accepting a job with northwestern University, Cady’s father moves the family to the States where Cady suddenly finds herself in a jungle far different from any in Africa – an American high school, complete with its own brand of wild, venomous animals. Brainy, beautiful and an outsider, Cady yearns to fit in – especially after almost getting hit by a bus on her first day of school. Lost in the wilds, Cady is taken under the wings of fellow outsiders, Goth chick Janice Ian and her best friend the openly gay Damian, that is until Cady falls under the spell of “The Plastics.” Ah yes, The Plastics – every school has them – even in my day. You know the type. The Barbie look-alikes and wannabes with the bobbling empty-heads but who can spew more venom than the most poisonous snake in the jungle and simultaneously dig their rapier claws into your back with the effortless pounce of a tiger.
Invited to join The Plastics for lunch, Cady accepts the invite and at Janice’s encouragement and insistence, soon finds herself as a Plastics recruit. Not that Janice wants her newfound friend to accept The Plastic mantra and way of life. No, she views the membership as a learning experience, and undercover subterfuge you might say. Seems Janice and Damian have both suffered injury at the hands of The Plastics. This is the outsiders in to the dirt and gossip of the “A ” list. Leading a double life as a member of the chick clique by day committing acts of character assassination, black-balling, gossip and snobbery, and still being a true friend and confidant to Janice and Damian by night, Cady walks that fine line with the skill of seasoned high wire pro, that is until she spies on the hunk who sits in front of her in math class, Aaron. Setting her sights on this luscious prey, Cady sets out to snag Aaron as hers. But things get a bit more than interesting when it turns out that Aaron used to date head Plastic, Regina, and in Plastic world, what was mine, stays mine, even if it’s no longer mine. And so – let the games, er, cat fight (big cat fight) begin.
Lindsay Lohan stars as Cady and whatever mis-step happened with her last film, “Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen”, are long forgotten on seeing “Mean Girls.” Under the guidance of her “Freaky Friday” director, Mark Waters, Lohan’s fresh-faced yet confident naivete permeates the screen and she handles the nice girl-mean girl metamorphosis without ever losing her appeal. She is the core, the center, the ground of this film, but never overshadows the story, the message or the other characters. Instead, she serves as the base, the foundation on which everything else is built and adds some of her elan and comedic presence to every other element of the film.
In a genre that rarely has a strong supporting cast, “Mean Girls” pulls ahead of the pack with a standout group of supporting faces. If there is anyone who can pull off bitch chick Regina better than Rachel McAdams, please tell me now. With an icy cold superiority and venom running through her veins, McAdam captures clique meanness to a “T.” And toss in her little plastic minions, Gretchen and Karen, played to the hilt by Lacey Chabert and Amanda Seyfried, and you need no others as foils for Lohan’s niceness. Chabert adds a level of fearful adoration to Gretchen while Seyfried is hysterical as the scatter-brained Karen who pays homage and gives thanks just for being permitted to be a Plastic. But let’s not forget fellow outsiders, Janice and Damian. Lizzy Caplan and Daniel Franzene are well rounded comedic delights whether alone or with Lohan. They create characters that you can’t help but enjoy, empathize and sympathize with all at the same time. But the real icing on the cake goes to screenwriter Tina Fey who makes her big screen debut as the non nonsense Ms. Norbury, Cady’s math teacher and self-appointed mentor. Undoubtedly drawing on an experience from her own life, this “Saturday Night Live” veteran pulls out all stops as she encourages geekdom by pushing Cady to join the Mathletes –– the school”s competitive math team.
Thanks to a well-crafted, solid, inventive, clever, detailed, slightly (and deliciously) acidic and extremely funny script by “Saturday Night Live” veteran Tina Fey, director Waters gives us a fast-paced, intriguing and fun film about high school life that never goes for the stereotypical and keeps coming back at you with scenes, dialogue and performances fresher and funnier than the one before.
Speaking to anyone who has survived the jungles of high school, “Mean Girls” has something for everyone. The refreshingly honest appeal of this film is ageless. And although I’ve said it many times before, enough can’t be said about Lindsay Lohan. She just shines, giving a grounded, centered, comedic performance, proving her mettle once again and why she is the darling of Disney and now Paramount.
Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Lizzy Caplan and Lacey Chabert. Directed by Mark S. Waters. Written by Tina Fey. Based on the book “Queen Bees and Wannabes” by Rosalind Wiseman. A Paramount Pictures film. Rated PG-13. (93 min)
