the problem with the film is that they didn't make a movie adaptation of the musical,,, they just made a remake of the 2004 film and added the songs. and there IS a huge difference.
this is very incorrect and that’s how we know you didn’t watch the movie! the movie was very close to broadway show and took almost all the storyline beats from musical
The original movie has a scene they are all on the phone call and it shows how all the plastics are fake and talk bad behind each others back. That scene would have been very important in this movie
I love that scene but seeing as this movie is depicted in modern times, that scene cannot be remade as it was in the original, as part of it was because of how the phones worked at the time. Now, if you have multiple people on the phone, it would be a conference esc call so everyone would hear each other, which defeats the purpose. They could have probably done a similar scene with texting instead, but the impact would not be as good as the original.
@@simluv.7483you EASILY could have made that, just throw some texting in or something it’s really common to be in a call with someone and text a third person about how boring they are or let them listen by using another device lol
@@simluv.7483I think it could’ve worked pretty well if they were all on FaceTime or a group call but also individually texting each other! Not everything that’s a product of the time isn’t adaptable to a modern format, just be a bit more creative with it.
i honestly think sabrina carpenter could've been a really good cady, since she has both experience playing cady on stage and being in movies. she also would have brought more mainstream exposure and maybe eased people more into it being a musical
as someone who is gen z i hate how much remakes that pander to gen z put so much emphasis on being on social media and your phone all the time. it just feels like the directors are taking that stereotype and blowing it out of proportion. it doesn't personally make me feel seen or like the movie is better, it just makes me feel like some out of touch and old director is trying to poke fun at our generation.
also frankly... while social media does have a very real impact on our lives, it's also incredibly boring to see onscreen. it's overdone, and feels instantly dated when you see it. for example i could've screamed when they mentioned social media apps in wednesday. i spend too much of my life on social media, hearing people talk about social media, seeing news about social media, sitting with friends while they scroll through social media... i dont want to see it in films! i want to escape from it all!
@@lenapenrhyn2173 actually, and funny enough, I quited watching Wednesday when they mentioned Tiktok in the first 20 minutes. I do not regret my decision to this day.
That is how I felt about 2016's Freak Friday on Disney Channel. These old execs forgot how it felt to be a teenager. I think the original Mean Girls worked because Tina Fey based it off of her OWN experiences in high school, not to even relate to Millennials. These scriptwriters need to go back to borrowing from their own experiences and adapting it in a modern way, like they used to.
same and i'm in my 30s 😂 like, there was several years of media complaining about millennials not having kids until about five years ago ffs, how old are these people's parents?!?? 😂😂😂
they probably meant people who were the same age as the characters when the movie came out. like a 16-year-old in 2004 would be 36 now so theres a good chance theyre the parent to a toddler (or even a preteen if they had kids early)
The thing about Cady in Stupid with Love, is that she is quirky and for a lack of better word... horny! She hasn't had interactions with lots of kids and cute boys. Cady is supposed to be weird. It's a weird, funny, silly, quirky moment and she doesn't know how to express it, so she sings about it. Taking out the intensity of the song just ruined it. It's like they took her whole personality away.
I started not to appreciate this movie as much as I thought I would when they made Cady out to be a selfish teenager wanting to escape Africa, and forcing her mom to take a job she didn't really want. It took all of the likability out of her character and redemption arc before we even got to know her.
The end part of apex predator is so iconic on broadway. The long notes and the instrumental. I liked the new version but it lacked the original powerful ending from Broadway
More Is Better is arguably the most important number from the stage show. It’s a huge character moment for both Cady and Aaron. To cut it and cast an Aaron that doesn’t sing is truly baffling. Like, why?!
that was my biggest problem, too! that scene was hugely important for cady's character development and cutting it out left 2 lines that were just meaningless. stripped all the emotion out of that scene and made it entirely forgettable
@@mikayla4120 It’s like, was Briney that much of a prize for this role? I mean, he seems like a great guy but why not cast someone who can sing for your movie-adaptation of your stage show? Stupid Reprise and More is Better are too important to the narrative to cut. More so the latter
I don’t think “it roars” is the most genius musical theatre song ever but it is typically important for one of a musicals earliest songs to be a large group number so it establishes the world the musical exists in as a musical one.
The movie's version of "Stupid With Love" reminded me of when the Glee boys sang "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun"...completely devoid of the joy and fun of the original.
The Glee cover was a ripoff of an established cover by a guy named Greg Laswell. It was a very sad boi version for sure. You are so spot on, it hurt my feelings a bit. Perfectly explained.
@@hawktatoYeah that cover was used in the movie version of My Sister’s Keeper. It’s there to make a point about how the sisters should be enjoying their teen years instead of having to deal with cancer. It’s not terribly subtle but it does make sense in the context of the movie.
that would actually be very realistic. i mean ive certainly had high school drama that originated from those pages. but it would defo take away too much from the story@@laurensimendinger8887
I actually think it would've been better because I can't imagine gen z kids bothering to pick up and read a bunch of flyers laying aroundfrom the burn book realistically, but I can perfectly see see them interacting with a tea page on Instagram or tiktok. That actually happens. It probably would've been the most realistic depiction of social media in the whole movie.
i have 2 main things: - the high note in cautionary tale that transitions to it roars is like the most beautiful thing ever so i was so sad for that to be gone - and the cinematography was sauuuurr inconsistent, and now knowing it was a directorial team adds up. because every scene felt like a different person trying to put their style in it. like the revenge party pov cam was sooo awks...
All your thoughts are all my thoughts!!! The costumes were a particular travesty; I really wondered if the costume designer hated Renee Rapp. She's gorgeous and like... how do you NOT make her look anything but 100% incredible? To your point: Regina's rich! Why did they put her in Shein rejects?! (the all leather/pleather look especially bugged me, as well as that uggo corset, simply because they were poorly fitted and clearly made from cheap materials) That was my double-issue with the cringe Elf product placement. Regina would not be caught DEAD using Elf.
someone gets hurt & world burn were probably my fave scenes in the film!! the idea to change regina's costume from a bunny to an angel was a nice touch!!
I will admit that I do love that change from the (2004) movie and the Broadway musical. The costume could be either an angel or a bird of prey! Regina gives the illusion that she is this angel, similar to a devil trying to fool humans or a bird of prey. Beautiful, but cross her, and she'll claw you up!
any time someone tells me they don't like musicals it's because they watched something where the song and dance is shoe-horned in and there is no in-universe reason why that story should have been told via song. sounds like not only did they make exactly the type of musical people hate, but they lied to people about it in order to get their money. maybe if you make a proper musical that actually utilizes the medium for what it can bring to the table people will stop hating musicals as a genre. novel!
Omg I said the same thing about the costumes when I first saw the trailer. They really do look like a SHEIN sample sale, whereas the OG movie costumes were iconic and instantly recognizable.
I was gagged in the theater when they mentioned “firecrotch” and then even more gagged when Lindsey showed up at the end when they had the word mentioned.
the budget was lowwww so I can see why we ended up with the product we did - I had fun watching tho! Favorite bit was Damien singing the iCarly theme song in French
I'm truly baffled by turning Cady into a NPC. The decision makes zero sense, and makes your once main character completely lifeless and boring. I didn't care about her anymore, so it made following her plotlines pointless. I wonder if Cady would have been more enjoyable if they'd dubbed someone else's vocals in for her. Use Erika Henningsen and let Rice act. It'd have been so much better.
This movie was better than I was expecting, though it's hard to watch a modern adaptation of a twenty year old movie that you know inside out, and not constantly compare the two works. Renee Rapp stole the show, as did Avantika, and I liked that Ms. Norbury and Principal Duvall were revealed to be in a relationship this time round.
It is so weird to me how wildly popular Renee has become. I went to high school with her and we definitely weren't particularly close or like. Friends, really, but we knew each other. My partner was in an elementary school production of Aristicats with her. It's absolutely wild to me that I see people going nuts over her now But I'm so glad you're doing well and I'm so excited that you're making videos again!!
Something you covered a bit which I had the most issue with was the subtle b***hing for the girls being missed, and how it played into the school, that scene with Gretchen where she overreacts reading about Julius Caeser or the four way phone calls, or even Cady hanging out with the plastics at lunch. Pretty sure most of the musical movie she was outside in the field with Damien and Janis, where as in the original movie their friendship is hidden in their home room or the toilets. It’s clear that they tried to tone it down as well so the pre teens could enjoy it. I think overall it was okay not devoid of merit, but if you go in knowing it’s an adaptation of the broadway musical, you’re disappointed because of the song direction, but if you go in thinking it’s a remake of the original which many have, you’re overwhelmingly disappointed because even though it’s longer, a lot of the jokes were missing and the tone felt a bit off at times. I think in a way they were trying to make it appeal to too many people almost, those that love musicals, young kids and those fans of the original, but as a result missed the mark.
Totally agree with everything you said here! A couple things I defos picked up on: 1. Janice's style! She's supposed to really look different and 'edgy' and cool and stand out, but she wore euphoria makeup, an oversized tee and ripped jeans with a streak in her hair. To be honest I felt it was giving Jade from Victorious which is cool girl energy, when she's supposed to be the 'weird girl' trope. 2. I think in trying to be safe and woke, the directors forgot that the film is called MEAN girls. The reason the original is so timeless and is such a classic is because it totally embodies tropes that still exist! I was 2 in 2004 when it came out, but when I was in school 15 years later, you still have the same types of mean girl characters. They are supposed to be unkind and say nasty things, and then as an audience you understand these are deeply insecure characters, but at the same time what is being said is never justified. The audience is introduced to nuance - that people have reasons for being unkind, but it doesn't make it okay. I feel like the essence of the OG film, in this way, was totally missed out on. 3. Same thing with the style. If three girls in my school were wearing what the OG mean girls were wearing 5 years ago, or, even if I saw three girls walking through uni dressed like the OGs, I would still think they were really cool! It's timeless! I feel like in a drive towards having the unique selling point of being NEW and DIFFERENT, the directors forgot the reason why people love mean girls. At its core, it's a timeless, classic, CARICATURE of real life! This entire sentiment was lost! In the original and in the musical, you can laugh at almost every single character in some way and thats why it WORKS. This just felt awkward, rushed, and you didn't really know any of the characters enough to form a real opinion on them. 4. Moreover, loads of the totally ridiculous stuff like Regina's mum's dog, would have worked really well as a silly, ridiculous pick-me-up, whereas I felt like I was constantly waiting to laugh at something or find something funny to redeem from genuinely cringing. A moment that just felt soooo washed up was at the end with the "she doesn't even go here" girl, being like "she still doesn't go here" - SO RINSED. Having rewatched a bootleg of the stage version, I'm truly smiling and laughing throughout and god knows how many times I've watched it! It's funky, it's fun, and it embraces being a bit ridiculous and stupid and having fun. The film didn't do that here. 5. This is a rant point as someone who's 21 years old, but I WISH these directors and designers would consult young people on visual design decisions!!!!!!! There were genuinely some outfits that I was thinking "I would notice that as a bad outfit if I saw someone wearing that in real life!" No one is talking about Regina's fuzzy black crop top and neon yellow parachute pants??? Is she the IT girl or a bee? (Maybe it was a joke on her being queen bee from the prod team but it was honestly just awful + renee is absolutely jaw-droopingly gorgeous and I feel like they just threw her in whatever clothes would just about fit). 6. The lack of a feminist touch really bothered me. It makes me feel like comedy with a moral/fable-like undertone was totally misunderstood. Mean Girls is great because despite the jokes, the ridiculousness etc, it really pushes the underlying message about being kind to one another, that popularity isn't everything, that WOMEN should support each other, that high school drama is just that and that life goes on etc. There was no moral in the film. It was more of a "hey! look at these nasty teenagers!", and that was about it. Totally agree with what you said about the ending - it shouldn't end with her kissing a boy because that is not the peak of the storyline! The boy meets girl storyline is not the centre of the plot, it's borderline a subplot, part of the motivation for the wider plot. The peak, as you said, is that it's a canon event, that although everything gets better and everyone's happy, this is a canon event in every school. 7. Last point I swear cos this is an essay! I feel like this movie will HUGELY discourage people from watching the musical when it comes to the West End. I couldn't help thinking that if this film was my first experience with the musical version, I wouldn't, not even for a second, consider spending over £100 on tickets to see the stage version. It's genuinely bad marketing for it and it makes me sad cos I think (obvs I can critique it in some ways too) that the musical version is fab! Does such a great job and is a brilliant and timeless musical. Totally agree with you that it both pays homage to the original whilst being its own entity - and it works fabulously! I'd be so interested to hear the directors challenged on all these views, as I'm somewhat shocked that the film was this poorly remade. No discredit to any of the actors involved, I just think the project itself was terribly and lazily manifested to screens. Such a shame! Great video - really enjoyed all your insights!
I think you're spot on with your last point. I've never seen the stage version, but I love musicals so it was on my "someday" list. After seeing this movie, I have ZERO desire to see the stage version. Comments like yours have me reconsidering (people who loved the musical say it's very different), so maybe I'll give it a chance. But tbh my exposure to this version took away any chance of my paying tons of money to see it on stage or acrively seeking it out; I might go if it's like a traveling show someday.) Edited for spelling
Major congrats on getting engaged and moving!! I can’t believe I was here for when you guys first got together and you’re now hitting these major life marks!! You deserve it all love 😘
This review of a movie I haven't seen only corroborates the vibe I got from the marketing that if you're a fan of the show you won't enjoy the changes from the show and if you're a fan of the 04 film but not seen the show then you'll find it a duller version of the original film with some random musical numbers thrown in. In other words, any potential fan base it could have is alienated by the creative decisions.
Anyone else feel like a week before the final edit was due they went “shit we forgot the songs!” And just threw them in not caring about how they translated on screen or how they transitioned from scene to song to scene again
i'm the target audience for this film and the attempts at being fresh and relatable were terrible. mean shit happens in person and rumors are still spread by word of mouth; text messages at most- absolutely NOT via tiktok, and obviously not via megan thee stallion😭 most things in the 2004 movie still hold up today. even the 4 way phone call is relatable, except we switch between group chats and dms to be fake lmao. it feels ignorant, as if the writers didn't even bother asking real teens about anything and just went off stereotypes. plus, me and every girl i know grew up on this movie despite being born after it even came out- it did not need a remake.
Idk what people were expecting from a film version of a stage musical, which was the musical version of the film, which was a film adaptation of a self help book. Yes, a lot of was strange, were there moments where it seemed like they were setting up a musical number and it never happened? Yeah. So many iconic movie moments cut out? Yeah. But at the end of the day, it's three adaptations in from a self help book. It was actually fun to watch, and I pretty much had my expectations set low, and I was right, and I still enjoyed it.
Thoughts on the reveal that Ms Norbury and the principal were a couple?! I gasped when she said the line about him walking the dogs the rest of the week. I thought it was a cute addition :) I also loved how their outfits were so similar to the original even down to him having the cast thing on his arm.
But what about Randy from Chase Visa? Did she just give up on that dream altogether? She's had a crush on him for the last-20 years for cryin' out loud!
My like VERY hot take is that everyone looks like a high school student…except Renee Rapp. Like I think she’s perfect casting for Broadway and perfect casting if everyone else was aged up, but she sticks out as if she’s a college student/graduate while everyone else is firmly high school looking.
I do definitely know what you mean. I think if we look at teen movies they often look older which is why I think Renee looks right to me. I just think if she’s the first person they cast they should have cast people who felt more her age to have it fit better, than making her the kind of odd one out :/
Honestly, I think that could have worked if they would have stayed true to the aspirational nature of Regina George. Her looking more poised, mature, glamorous is supposed to be the essence of her character. She’s like Barbie. She’s a myth, she’s unattainable. She’s supposed to be the “it girl” but unfortunately she is just a “main character”
Havent watched the full video yet as I've still not seen the movie! But just wanted to say lovely to see you back on RU-vid, sorry youve been sick and congrats on your engagement and house! Always love your videos!
So glad to see you back! I'll be in NYC in March as well 😍. I agree with so many of your points. I was fine with small changes, but this wasn't even close.
Huge congratulations on your engagement and new home!!! I'm so excited to see you back, I love watching your videos sooo much ☺️ I loved hearing your perspective on the new film as someone who knows the musical well, I've not seen the show myself! I think it may be a bit better than the movie musical by the sounds of it...
I agree with pretty much everything you said except for the comment about some of them looking young. Yeah. They look young because they are young. In fact, most of the 17-18 year old characters were played by 22-23 year old actors so them looking young for the age they’re meant to portray feels even more absurd to say. In my opinion, teenagers actually resembling teenagers at all is a win, not a fumble.
I cant even call the music "pop" at this point like it's the greatest showman-esque pop. Instead it's sometimes like a garage band auto audio track looping over and over 😭 Especially with stupid with love
I am so happy to see a new Amy Lovatt video! I enjoyed the movie but haven't seen the stage show so I'm excited to hear what your takes are as a fan of the musical. (Quick tip with Auli'i, there's only one l in the pronunciation the end of her name should sound like "ee-ee" rather than "lee-lee") :)
So.... In a lot of US classrooms there actually can be a shortage of desks. So Caty sitting on the floor isn't as insane as it sounds for here. It's a mess. The rest though - gotta agree with most of your points.
@@AmyLovatt1 yes. Yes it is. But true. Not in every school obviously, but overcrowding and old buildings causes a problem. I taught in a school where in one classroom kids sat in chairs and shared a single old fashioned desk or sat on the window sill in the back -- and even when we got desks for that room we couldn't fit them all.
Congratulations on your engagement and your new home! So happy to see you back and to hear your thoughts on the Mean Girls musical movie! Haven't seen the Mean Girls musical yet - sounds like it's a great candidate to stream in the background. I highly recommend seeing The Notebook - Joy Woods is one of the leads and she is sensational. I literally went back to Little Shop of Horrors a fourth time just to see her as Audrey and it was completely worth it. I spent this past weekend in NYC and I'm already making plans to return in a couple of months to see The Notebook because Joy is *that* good (but also, I really, really need to see The Great Gatsby).
Nice to see you Amy! I hope all of the recent life events are working out and that you're recovering well from being sick (for 2 months?!). As always, I enjoy your insights :)
OH MY GOD I MISSED YOUUUU!!! I actually enjoyed the film, and some things you pointed out I didn’t even notice, like the elf product placement. I can agree with some things though and just wanted to comment to say that I hope you’re doing well and that whether you choose to take another break or continue posting you got my support ❤️
Totally agree that there should have been more narration. I have a big problem with the pacing in this movie. Everything happens so fast. There is no time to meet and understand any of the characters; they’re forgettable. If there was no source material I would have absolutely no connection to any of them I think consitant narration would have helped. I kept forgetting there was even narration and was thrown off whenever Janis or Damien looked into the camera while singing. Toward the end, I was like "why are we going into a garage? ", but then I remmebered that’s where the beginning of the narration took place. The second point may be on me. The fact that it was supposed to be a home video telling this story shows how bad it was executed. Why didn’t we go back to that garage during the movie? We could have gotten quick cutaways. or If they’re gonna use tiktok, then they could have had Janis or Damien vlogging at random points to add in narration? Hell, have them on podcast where the shtick to make it stand out is that they sing. or even different gags where they use famous media imagery. You know, like the dramatic ballad of the icarly theme song they should have put work into the narration and honestly MADE IT CAMPY!’ those suggestions are not good, I know, but what I’m saying is they could have kept the narration going in a memorable way. They had the ability to make it different from both source material. That being said, I don’t know how the narration is handled in the on stage musical but when it comes with this movie it’s a very odd direction they decided to take.
As a millennial myself I honestly don’t think it sounds like you’re angry cuz of it’s being a “remake” it just sounds like you’re disappointed that this movie was such a waisted opportunity. And I kinda agree. I don’t love a gratuitous remake of something no one asked to be remade but this was a movie of the musical adaptation so it had purpose and because of being a musical fully lives independently. I’m sort of in the same camp with the Disney live action remakes. I like some of them the rest I pretend don’t exist. The original movie isn’t going away nor are they removing it from our grasp. So like this could have actually been really good and it just ended up being a “hey fellow youths, we’re not old we got you” instead of something really great
Agree so much about Karen not seeming like a human. They really gave us no reason to care about Gretchen or Karen - hardly any backstory to either of them or their relationship with Regina. Cutting the bit with Gretchen about the white gold hoops was a mistake I feel. Also cutting Fearless took away that more human side of Gretchen and Karen - how they now felt free, Karen's line "and a vest" in the song even though small I think does show the sacrifices they made to be part of the Plastics. Also so confused over the unnecessary verse change in Revenge Party - what was wrong with the original?! That whole song was batshit crazy anyway and they missed the best part of the song which is the quick change!
Wow! Your back! Glad you're doing okay, I personally thought the movie was fine but the more I think about it, my opinion soured. It had its moments but that's about it.
Congrats on getting engaged! I’ve been a fan for years and I’m happy to have seen your journey from coming out to making videos with your girlfriend now this 🎉
