We are in the golden age of well-loved Broadway classics getting their chance to shine on the big screen after years on The Great White Way.
With releases such as “Mamma Mia”, “Hairspray” and “ Les Misérables”, capturing the hearts of theater enthusiasts while “Dear Evan Hansen” and “Cats” admittedly didn’t live up to the hype, to say the least, there’s been a wide array of adaptations in the 21st century that have put a refreshing spin on the finest stories the stage has ever seen.
“Mean Girls”, released in 2004 and distributed by Paramount Pictures has become a cult classic over the last two decades, well-loved and lauded for its witty humor, highly quotable dialogue, resonant message and depiction of the joys and terrors of high school girls.
Its musical adaptation of the same name, released in 2017 and running on Broadway from 2018 to 2020, emulates much of the original plot and characters as the feature film, adding in a healthy dose of ballads, ensemble bops, and solos, as a musical does, allowing an entirely new interpretation of the story. With rockstar vocal performances and exaggerated characterization, it pulls the audience into Cady Heron’s world and holds on tight through the drama, digs, and dance numbers.
Two decades after the film’s release and seven years after the Broadway musical, “Mean Girls” (2024) hit theaters on Jan. 12. Bolstered by a loyal fanbase of the musical and curious viewers interested in seeing more of Lake Shore High, the film debuted with $11.6 million in box office sales on its first day alone.
There seemed to be one recurring issue with audiences, though.
The trailer, while being sure to show some of the fantastical elements of the film to a backdrop track of “get him back!” by Olivia Rodrigo, neglected to explicitly state that it was an adaptation of the Broadway production, not the 2004 film. Understandably, those who were not expecting musical numbers or the exaggerated suspension of belief that accompanies stage productions were a bit peeved.
In addition, those who are well-versed with the musical still found something to be desired through lackluster vocal performances, edited or shortened musical numbers, corny dialogue and more.
Of course, no adaptation is going to be perfect, and the big screen isn’t designed to flawlessly bring a stage adaptation to life in every way imaginable. With all of this in mind, was “Mean Girls” (2024) “coolness”? Or was it a “plastic” adaptation of a better musical based on a better movie? According to the Internet, Paramount Pictures should stop trying to make “fetch” happen.
