Mean Girls (2004)

83% of critics liked it
(175 reviews)
66% of users liked it
(30,683,736 ratings)

Tina Fey from Saturday Night Live wrote and appears in this comedy about the alternately funny and terrifying pecking order among teenage girls. Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) is a 15-year-old girl who has spent most of her life in Africa, where she was home-schooled by her zoologist parents. When her… More Tina Fey from Saturday Night Live wrote and appears in this comedy about the alternately funny and terrifying pecking order among teenage girls. Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) is a 15-year-old girl who has spent most of her life in Africa, where she was home-schooled by her zoologist parents. When her family relocates to the United States, Cady finds herself attending a high school in suburban Illinois, where she gets a crash course in the various sub-strata of the student body: the jocks, the cheerleaders, the stoners, the "cool" kids, and so on. Much to her surprise, Cady finds herself embraced by a clique of rich and popular girls known to outsiders as "the Plastics," led by Regina George (Rachel McAdams), Gretchen Weiners (Lacey Chabert), and Karen Smith (Amanda Seyfried). While Cady is grateful for her new friends, it doesn't take long for her to realize how manipulative they can be, and she soon discovers she's violated an unwritten law when she goes out on a date with Aaron (Jonathan Bennett), who is charming, good looking...and Regina's former boyfriend. It isn't long before Regina and her pals are on the warpath, and Cady must face a level of vengeful behavior for which years in the jungle never prepared her. Joining Tina Fey in the supporting cast are fellow SNL players Amy Poehler, Ana Gasteyer, and Tim Meadows. The screenplay for Mean Girls was based in part on Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends and Other Realities of Adolescence, a book by professional youth counselor Rosalind Wiseman. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 37 min.
Directed By: Mark Waters (VIII)
Written By: Tina Fey
Genres: Comedy

In Theaters: Apr 30, 2004 Wide
On DVD: Sep 21, 2004
Studio: Paramount Pictures

Critic Reviews

J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader
Lacks the genuine bile that made Heathers so bracing.
Peter Rainer, New York Magazine
A smart little teen picture that, for a change, actually features recognizable teens.
Anthony Lane, New Yorker
I would be more amused if the topic of rich material girls had not been worn to a thread elsewhere.
Andrew Sarris, New York Observer
A teen movie I enjoyed enormously, much to my surprise.
Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com
Mean Girls isn't a particularly deep picture, but it does have some weight and ballast.
Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post
Mean Girls has a sharp, grown-up sensibility that belies its marketing as airhead comedy.
, Film4
The best of the recent clutch of teen movies, Mean Girls also represents a return to form for the filmmaking wing of Saturday Night Live.
Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
Mature but often-hilarious teen comedy.
Nick Rogers, Suite101.com
Lindsay Lohan is more likely to die before 30 than to land another lead role as suited to her (likely squandered) talent. Tina Fey's script is an observant equal-opportunity offender about how high school remains a jungle of hormones and haughtiness.
Peter Canavese, Groucho Reviews
Like Heathers with the edges filed down a bit...the kind of smooth, clever (and rare) entertainment that critics and audiences can all enjoy, guilt-free. [Blu-ray]
Felix Vasquez Jr., Cinema Crazed
Mean Girls is an very intelligent, often funny, well written and clever satire on high school and its status quo.
Kevin Carr, 7M Pictures
The film boasts a solidly female cast, and its' a well cast film at that.
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
Where the movie is merely cute, it could have been tough. Where it's pleasantly amusing, it could have been outrageously hilarious. (Blu-ray Edition)
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
Like the wannabes at North Shore, Mean Girls longs to take a step beyond the ordinary, but it takes the easier, more traditional route instead.
Steven D. Greydanus, Decent Films Guide
Though better written, better acted and with more wit and subtlety than your average teen flick, the atmosphere in Mean Girls with its promiscuous sex and well, meanness, make it almost as nasty to sit through as these girls are to each other.
Urban Cinefile Critics, Urban Cinefile
A lively and upbeat teen comedy that grapples with social dynamics, Mean Girls is fresh, spicy and laden with plenty of tang.
Joe Lozito, Big Picture Big Sound
It's not a classic, but it's an above-average and refreshingly smart teen comedy.
Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com
It announces the arrival of Tina Fey into the ranks of smart screenwriters.
Eric Melin, Lawrence.com
Props to Tina Fey for being the first cast member since Mike Myers in Wayne's World to survive her movie being produced by Saturday Night Live boss Lorne Michaels -- and not also have her movie completely suck.
Todd Hertz, Christianity Today
Mean Girls lacks sincerity, and instead acts like any teenage queen bee -- being cruel and picking on the weak -- only to then break its own rules and be hypocritical.

Read all 23 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Jason S

plain
Joseph M

It's better than your average teen comedy. Lindsay Lohan works well in the leading role. The film does drag on a bit in the last 40 minutes but all round a surprisingly well worked Teen Comedy from Tina Fay.
Lenny M

Solid comedy, cast gives a good performance.
Jameson W

I see this film being popular for many years. A good comedy!
Wildaly M

Okay movie.
Jeff "

I never thought I would enjoy this film, I was pleasantly surprised. The film stars Lindsay Lohan (before her massive troubles) Rachel McAdams and Tina Fey. Mean Girls is a pretty good teen comedy and it does have plenty of good laughs. The acting wasn't bad, but not great… More
I never thought I would enjoy this film, I was pleasantly surprised. The film stars Lindsay Lohan (before her massive troubles) Rachel McAdams and Tina Fey. Mean Girls is a pretty good teen comedy and it does have plenty of good laughs. The acting wasn't bad, but not great either. I enjoyed this film, and I really didn't think I would like it. But the film was interesting enough to keep me involved in the film, and I liked the idea behind the plot. Sure, there are things that could have been done better, but for what it is, the film succeeds at being an effective teen comedy. Mean Girls is definitely no Breakfast Club or Ferris Bueller's Day Off, but this film still is fairly memorable. The cast are well chosen, and they are all funny in their respective roles. Mean Girls a good teen comedy, but it's still average in my book. The film won't be timeless as so many other teen comedies such as Ferris Bueller's Day Off or The Breakfast Club. The assorted cast makes this film work, and they make it much better than it is. Rachel McAdams delivers a good performance, one of the best of the film. A good film, but it's never anything memorable. I frankly thought it was one of those films that you can only watch once. However, for what it is, Mean Girls is a funny, but flawed film. There's plenty of fun to be had watching, in the end though it's not as memorable as other teen comedies.
Raymond W

Mean Girls is not your average comedy. It's better than an average teenaged comedy. It's script (although it can be cheesy at times) and story make it funnier than expected. Rachel McAdams, Lindsay Lohan and Amanda Seyfried turn in surprisingly good performances as well.… More
Mean Girls is not your average comedy. It's better than an average teenaged comedy. It's script (although it can be cheesy at times) and story make it funnier than expected. Rachel McAdams, Lindsay Lohan and Amanda Seyfried turn in surprisingly good performances as well. They're mean girls.
Eric A

Comes off as an average bimbo comedy, but it's a pretty well done comedy. Approve.
Justin Y

Thanks to Tina Fey's screenplay, director Mark Waters puts together a more than adequate comedic teen flick.The story for Mean Girls is as its title implies. It isn't exactly over the edge, but it paces itself well for it's entire 90 minute… More
Thanks to Tina Fey's screenplay, director Mark Waters puts together a more than adequate comedic teen flick.The story for Mean Girls is as its title implies. It isn't exactly over the edge, but it paces itself well for it's entire 90 minute run time. As for the characters, while not always doing likable things, are actually likable and amusing to watch.When it comes to comedy, this picture isn't drop dead hilarious in the laughs department; however there are moments that generate chuckles. The nice thing is that the film doesn't force the humor. It isn't a pure comedy and it doesn't try to be. The dialogue is partially witty and the predicaments that the characters find themselves in are entertaining.Mean Girls thrives on its female characters. Lindsay Lohan and Rachel McAdams are solid leads, while Lacey Chabert and Amanda Seyfried successfully mesh in with good supporting roles. The latter provides some effective humor.Mean Girls may focus on the adolescent, but it isn't just for an adolescent audience. Ultimately, this is a recommendable teen comedy.
Bethany M

Rachel McAdams was amazing in this role. It's quite sad that this is how girls actually are in this modern day and time. Great insight and the best Lindsay Lohan has been with her acting - apart from her part in 'The Parent Trap'
Summer W

it was ok
Brad W

This is one of the most original and funniest high school movies ever. Lindsey Lohan and Racheal McAdams lead a hilarious cast of colorful and hilarious people. The plot was great, but it also has some truth to it, that any popular people are very self centered in high school, and… More
This is one of the most original and funniest high school movies ever. Lindsey Lohan and Racheal McAdams lead a hilarious cast of colorful and hilarious people. The plot was great, but it also has some truth to it, that any popular people are very self centered in high school, and change people into being just like them. Tina Fey has written here one of the best comedies in years. There wasn't one moment I didn't like (besides a few cliche moments) and every character was awesome. It has truth, comedy, great characters and is an amazing movie.
Drake T

Aside from a few chuckles and some smart writing from Tina Fey, there's nothing worth seeing here. In fact, it represents everything wrong with the idea of "High School" culture by reinforcing their existence with such shallow, depth-less media. In the end, all these… More
Aside from a few chuckles and some smart writing from Tina Fey, there's nothing worth seeing here. In fact, it represents everything wrong with the idea of "High School" culture by reinforcing their existence with such shallow, depth-less media. In the end, all these fictitious labels and stereotypes play such large roles into this insufferably pandering story it might as well be made for 12 year old little girls. It also unwittingly promotes passive aggressive behavior, with an ending completely wrapped in common sense. High School is nothing like this, and it shouldn't be.
Cassie H

Such a fun and fierce comedy about the truth about high school. Love it! :) :) :)
Chris W

I enjoyed this far more than I thought I would or should. It's actually a really good movie, like seriously. It's girly of course, but there's a lot of truth behind what's being displayeed on screen. I could have gone my whole life without seeing it, and that… More
I enjoyed this far more than I thought I would or should. It's actually a really good movie, like seriously. It's girly of course, but there's a lot of truth behind what's being displayeed on screen. I could have gone my whole life without seeing it, and that would have been fine, but the more people talked about it, the more curious I got, especially since this movie was a breakthrough for several cast members I like. I also enjoyed the fact that this had so much involvement from the SNL crowd. Basically, this is a fun and highly entertaining farce that blends Heathers with Clueless and Jawbreaker, but sets everything in the 21st Century. Give it a shot if you haven't already. It definitely exceeds expectations, and that's coming from my mouth, the mouth of a goofy, offbeat straight man who has a beard and loves history and heavy metal.
Matt G

Really shows how bitchy teens can be. Great movie. Entertaining throughout. Grade: B+
Alice S

Biting and absurd satire. It's a shame that LiLo used to be attractive and talented...
Christopher A

A film that is 'Almost Too Gay To Function' but has enough out of body random scene's and hot girls running around shouting 'look at me' that makes this film actually quite 'Fetch'. Falls in to the scarce category of Chick flicks for guys, the story… More
A film that is 'Almost Too Gay To Function' but has enough out of body random scene's and hot girls running around shouting 'look at me' that makes this film actually quite 'Fetch'. Falls in to the scarce category of Chick flicks for guys, the story follows Cady, a 16 year old who has up to now been home schooled all of her life ... in Africa. She moves to the US and soon finds herself falling in with the girls too cool for school, the 'plastics'. A boy is introduced and all out war follows as the girls battle to be the Queen Bee. A clever, hilarious and entertaining film, well worth a watch with the girlfriend.
Spencer S

The reason this movie is so closely quotes by the middle school girls of yesteryear is because it is in itself a pivotal point in movie history: revealing the reality of teenage girls in this generation, and every one preceding, and laughing at it. It was a swaying effect to learn you… More
The reason this movie is so closely quotes by the middle school girls of yesteryear is because it is in itself a pivotal point in movie history: revealing the reality of teenage girls in this generation, and every one preceding, and laughing at it. It was a swaying effect to learn you yourself are just plain mean.
Nadira I

It's fun, but not very educating at all. Sorry Lindsay.