Mean Girls Musical - Movie Adaption

[theatrefan62]

Just looks like a pointless remake. No hint that it's a musical to make it stand out from the original

[anthony40]

It's great that they've made another movie musical, it really is.

I subscribe to the theory that there is an audience for movie musicals and that if they adapt one stage musical for film, they'll make another.

But what gets me is the fact that everyone's going a bit ga-ga for this when, in my opinion, there are so many other (and quite frankly) better musicals to adapt.

I save seen the film, only once and vaguely remember it! All I remember is Rachel McAdams' character gaining weight and some girls saying to Lindsey Lohan's character "Your're totally plastic!". Can't remember much more than that.

[christya]

"This is not your mother's Mean Girls"

Proceeds to look exactly like your mother's Mean Girls.

[theatrefan62]

Nov 8, 2023 17:17:33 GMT anthony40 said:

It's great that they've made another movie musical, it really is.

I subscribe to the theory that there is an audience for movie musicals and that if they adapt one stage musical for film, they'll make another.

But what gets me is the fact that everyone's going a bit ga-ga for this when, in my opinion, there are so many other (and quite frankly) better musicals to adapt.

I save seen the film, only once and vaguely remember it! All I remember is Rachel McAdams' character gaining weight and some girls saying to Lindsey Lohan's character "Your're totally plastic!". Can't remember much more than that.

I agree I think its a really weak musical.

[anthony40]

I've said it many times on this forum and I'l say it again, Parade is a movie musical waiting to happen!

[danb]

Agreed. It could be ‘Chicago’ classy, with so much emotion.

[Marwood]

I’m going to try to see it tomorrow in France: wish me luck 😝

[FairyGodmother]

Nov 8, 2023 17:53:42 GMT christya said:

"This is not your mother's Mean Girls"

Proceeds to look exactly like your mother's Mean Girls.

I think it fails a bit on its premise as well! I don't think many people the right age for it in 2004 will have children old enough to watch the new version in 2024.

[showgirl]

Advice, please?

I've never seen the musical or the previous film but was interested in seeing this (despite it probably being completely age-inappropriate); partly as I couldn't find any other film to fill an early evening post matinee slot and partly as I thought it might be a cheerful and entertaining way to end the day. However, I then saw the trailer, which not only looked absolutely ghastly and over-the-top but also jumped so fast from scene to scene that I couldn't focus on a single one before it was replaced by the next. Though I know this could be the trailer only, if the whole film was that jumpy, loud and in-your-face, I would hate it and be out in minutes.

I then saw a comment calling it "kinetic", which seems a fancy way to say what I've described above and as I recall the same term being used for "Everything Everywhere (etc)", which sounded dreadful from the outset but which I tried against my better judgement (I gave it about 25 minutes, hoping it would slow down, settle down, start to make some sense - nope), that seems to confirm my view that Mean Girls is definitely not for me, but can anyone who has seen the first film or musical - or both - give me a a better idea, please?

[anthony40]

It's being heavily promoted on Magic at the Musicals.

[danb]

4 star review in Empire! Roll on Wednesday.

[Marwood]

Just finished seeing it and really enjoyed it: didn’t think the editing was particularly ‘kinetic’’ although there are a couple of bits when moments get shared on social media where the images are piled up rapidly . I wouldn’t say the soundtrack featured anything amazing but then I’m not really a musicals kind of guy but the whole thing just seemed nice and good natured (although if you’re seeing it because of Jon Hamm in the trailers, I’d hold off booking as he is in it maybe 2 or 3 minutes at most, and don’t get your hopes up of Tina Fey singing any big numbers), the perfect way to spend a couple of hours: I’m tempted to go and see the stage version when it opens in London so I can compare the two.

[danb]

Thoroughly enjoyable (and unexpectedly so after listening to the soundtrack). This was so much better than I ever hoped it could be. All of the leads are perfectly cast; the music does at first seem underpowered and underproduced but it somehow builds to something satisfying. Can’t wait til it opens at the Savoy.

[Mark]

Im big fan of the original film and have seen the Broadway version 4 times, and I thought as far as musical to film adaptions go, this was pretty good!
A lot of the “filler” songs have been cut. The only one I missed was “It Roars” - the replacement number isn’t as good.
Casting mostly good, especially Renee Rapp and Auli’i Cravalho. Angourie Rice couldn’t really sing though.

Revenge Party was a great sequence, as was World Burn.

It won’t become as iconic as the original but well worth a watch.

[Matt]

How much does Jaquel sing? Seems like they cut most to all of his stuff.

[danb]

Jan 18, 2024 9:02:26 GMT Matt said:

How much does Jaquel sing? Seems like they cut most to all of his stuff.

Not tons, and mostly ‘conversational’ than big ‘sing’. Him & Janice are the best thing about it.

[Being Alive]

Oh I thought this was abysmal.

A prime example of when people say they hate musicals - after this I'd agree.

Renee can sing, Moana can sort of sing, no one else can.
No one knows how to act on screen.
Cady was offensively awful.

Simply no need to have made it - fills me with dread for the musicals arrival in London this summer.

[Stephen]

I enjoyed 'Sexy' and 'Revenge Party' The rest of it felt oddly shot, written, cast and played out like an extended music video.

[WireHangers]

What a joy.

Not perfect film but just a decent, silly film that you could watch in your PJs with a hangover.

[WireHangers]

Jan 20, 2024 0:18:41 GMT Being Alive said:

Oh I thought this was abysmal.

A prime example of when people say they hate musicals - after this I'd agree.

Renee can sing, Moana can sort of sing, no one else can.




What an odd thing to say when Tony and Grammy-nominated singer Jaquel Spivey is part of the cast.

[Being Alive]

Plenty of people been nominated for Tony's and aren't good!

[Rozzi Rainbow]

I saw this yesterday afternoon and thought it was awful, I almost walked out. I only stayed because I'd had to travel 13 miles to see it, as my local cinema was only showing it in the evenings.

I like the original film, and love musicals in general, so expected to quite like this. But it did nothing for me, I thought it was cheesy, and the songs didn't add anything at all. The only one that was at all memorable was "I'd Rather Be Me" and that was probably only because I'd heard it before.

Saying all that, I did enjoy the Lindsay Lohan cameo. This won't be a show I'll be rushing to see on stage though.

[anthony40]

I have not seen this film adaptation so am not in a position to comment nor have I seen the stage show.

I have seen the original film only once and remember thinking, despite everyone raving about it, that it was nothing special.

I know the song "Rather Be Me" because they play it on Magic at the Musicals.

However Wednesday week (31st January) I will be flying back to Sydney, Australia after 4 years to see the folks, via Kuala Lumpur. If I'm lucky, they may show it on the plane.

Save me the money.

[WireHangers]

Jan 22, 2024 18:59:24 GMT Being Alive said:

Plenty of people been nominated for Tony's and aren't good!

But that isn’t the case here.

[Being Alive]

Jan 23, 2024 14:21:29 GMT WireHangers said:

Jan 22, 2024 18:59:24 GMT Being Alive said:

Plenty of people been nominated for Tony's and aren't good!

But that isn’t the case here.

Disagree with you I'm afraid - glad you liked him though