20 Years Later, a Musical Came to Life
In the midst of its 20th-anniversary celebration, Mean Girls, the iconic chick-flick, is back with a bang in its 2024 musical remake. Departing from the original film, this remake has sparked discussions with its intriguing alterations and controversial themes, all while dominating the U.S. box office.
“If you’re from Africa, why are you white?”
The musical is described as a departure from the “problematic jokes” that were in the original movie. While the remake shares a similar script to the original, phrases such as “If you’re from Africa, why are you white?” were removed to resonate with today’s culture and contemporary values.
“That was so fetch”
The musical introduces a more inclusive cast, featuring queer people of color in prominent roles such as Damian (Jacquel Spivey) and Janis (Auli’i Cravalho), whose perspectives drive the narrative.
Moreover, the protagonist, Cady, portrayed by Lindsay Lohan in the original, undergoes a significant background change. In the original, she was living in Africa without mentioning a specific country. In the remake, however, Cady has transferred from being homeschooled in Kenya to the U.S.
“That is the ugliest effing skirt I’ve ever seen”
Critics have weighed in on the alterations, with some expressing nostalgia for the original film’s raw depiction of American high school culture. They argue that the infusion of singing, dancing, and adjustments to fit contemporary norms has somewhat “diluted” the film’s original message, deeming it “too nice.”
Jennifer Keishin Armstrong, author of “So Fetch: The Making of Mean Girls And Why We’re Still So Obsessed With It,” highlights the challenge faced by Regina, the antagonist, who can no longer quote lines from the original movie without risking being perceived as “homophobic” or offensive.
Interestingly, a few have said that the updated insults “don’t quite land enough,” as all fat-shaming, homophobic, and racist jokes were replaced. Even more, the social groups in the school’s culture and dynamics were categorized by race, a detail that was modified in the remake.
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