Life and Art from FT Weekend

Culture Chat: Mean Girls, old and new

Jan 19, 2024

This podcast explores the original Mean Girls movie and its impact on female representation. They discuss the portrayal of a bully and whether the new film adaptation was necessary. The speakers have mixed opinions on a recent movie remake, questioning its lack of differentiation. They emphasize the importance of new ideas and reading plays, while also mentioning the significance of Mean Girls in popular culture.

23:37

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Quick takeaways

Mean Girls addressed the experiences of young women, teenage cliques, and the pressure to fit in, resonating with audiences and promoting female empowerment.

The new film adaptation of Mean Girls received mixed reviews regarding the new songs and the effectiveness of the changes made, questioning the need for a new adaptation.

Deep dives

The Legacy and Popularity of Mean Girls

Mean Girls is an iconic movie that became a cultural phenomenon. It resonated with audiences because it brought attention to the experiences of young women and addressed issues like teenage cliques, bullying, and the pressure to fit in. The film's relatable characters, witty dialogue, and quotable one-liners made it extremely popular, especially among teenagers at the time of its release. Lindsay Lohan's portrayal of the main character, Katie, and Rachel McAdams' performance as the antagonist, Regina George, received critical acclaim. Mean Girls presented a strong message of female empowerment and the importance of embracing one's individuality.

Introduction

2min

Mean Girls: Exploring Female Representation in Films

12min

Discussion on the portrayal of a bully and the target audience of a movie remake

3min

Mixed opinions on a recent movie remake

3min

The Importance of New Ideas and Reading Plays

5min

This week, we take on the remake of the 2004 teen movie classic, “Mean Girls”. The original “Mean Girls”, starring Lindsay Lohan and written by Tina Fey, was a phenomenon. It’s been called one of the most quotable movies of all time. This new musical remake, based on the original film and the Broadway show, is in theatres now. What did the original film represent for us? Did we need this new version? And what generation is it for? Lilah is joined by the FT’s US financial editor Brooke Masters and Life and Art producer Lulu Smyth to figure it out.

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We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap, where she’s posting a photo of Breen and his burn book. You can email us at lifeandart@ft.com.

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Links (all FT links get you past the paywall):

– “Mean Girls”, written by Tina Fey, is out in cinemas in the US and UK now.

– The FT’s review of the film is here: https://on.ft.com/3Snt7yJ

– Brooke is on X @brookeamasters

– We also loved this piece by Miranda Green on modern “Mean Girls” and the impact of social media (June 2023) : https://on.ft.com/48ZWRHy

More or Less:

– Lulu wants to see more respected male actors in romcoms: specifically Joaquin Phoenix in the next “High School Musical”

– Brooke wants to see fewer universe expansions and more original content

– Lilah recommends reading new plays – and if you’re in New York, seeing Appropriate”, starring Sarah Paulson. The play is written by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins. You can read it online here: https://hilsee.com/ApproPlayText.pdf

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Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandart

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Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco. Clips courtesy of Paramount Pictures.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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