“Mean Girls” is a fresh and witty teen / post-teen film. Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) is a very bright 17 year old who was previously home-schooled in Africa by her mother. There are several different teenage-clicks that are sub-divided in the high school’s cafeteria. However, on Cady’s first day at the Chicago school, she spends her sad solemn lunch in a bathroom stall – not part of any. Day two is better, when she befriends a couple of outcasts; Janis (Lizzy Caplan), a Goth girl who is ridiculed as a lesbian, but isn’t, and Damian (Daniel Franzese), a gay guy who proudly left the closet years ago. Day three proves to be even more interesting when the popular crew led by Regina (Rachel McAdams), with her lackeys Gretchen (Lacey Chabert) and Karen (Amanda Seyfried) decide to take Cady under their wings.
Her outcast friends convince Cady to work as a spy to bring down the leader of the “Plastic Princess.” Each group wants to mould her to fit their own interests, but Cady’s interest lie in Regina’s ex-boyfriend Aaron (Jonathan Bennett). Cady’s mission is to find dirt on Regina and use it against her, by blending in and pretending to be one of them, but if you play a “Plastic” long enough, it’s just what you become.
I went to this movie with my teenage daughter, and we both thoroughly enjoyed it. It is a clever satirically written comedy. The overboard parts were well placed and funny, while the balance was high school realistic – and insightful. Film demonstrated that Lindsay Lohan is a talented young actress that can entertain mature and young audiences alike.