Is this a musical or a straight remake?

It's a musical. It is based on the Broadway show, which was based on the 2004 movie. Characters will break into song frequently to express their feelings, which is the biggest departure from the original.

Is it 'cleaner' than the 2004 version?

Not significantly. It's still PG-13 and deals with the same themes of teen sexuality, drinking, and social cruelty. It feels slightly more modernized in its language, but the 'edge' is roughly the same.

Do we need to see the original first?

No, it tells the same story from scratch. However, a lot of the jokes and cameos land better if you've seen the Lindsay Lohan version. Most parents find the original to be the superior movie.

How much social media is in it?

A lot. The movie uses vertical video frames and social media feeds to show how rumors spread in the modern day. It's a very accurate (and slightly exhausting) depiction of how 2020s teens communicate.

Mean Girls (2024) – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Mean Girls (2024)

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie2024

54%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

The Plastics are back with musical numbers and TikTok filters, but this remake struggles to find its own seat at the lunch table.

68%

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Mean Girls (2024)

movie

PG-13, 2024

54%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

The Plastics are back with musical numbers and TikTok filters, but this remake struggles to find its own seat at the lunch table.

68%

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68%

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Screenwise Verdict

This 2024 version is the 'fetch' of movies: it’s trying really hard to happen. While it’s not a disaster, it suffers from being a remake of a near-perfect original. If your kid is a die-hard musical theater fan or obsessed with Reneé Rapp, they’ll find plenty to like.

For everyone else, it feels a bit like a high-budget TikTok parody. It moves fast, the colors are bright, and the songs are catchy, but it lacks the sharp, subversive wit that made the 2004 version a classic. It’s a fine Friday night stream, but don't expect it to change your life.

Age Fit

Best for ages 12 and up. It’s firmly in the PG-13 camp with its focus on teen social warfare, dating, and identity. Younger kids might miss the satirical bite and just see a roadmap for how to be a jerk.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

It's a satire about social sabotage, so 'mean' is in the title. While it eventually lands on a message of self-acceptance and sisterhood, you're spending 100 minutes watching girls tear each other down for sport.

Imaginative

This is a remake of a movie that was turned into a musical that was then turned back into a movie. The musical numbers add some flair, but creatively, it's a copy of a copy that leans heavily on 2004 nostalgia.

Safe

Standard PG-13 teen fare. There is plenty of social aggression, mild sexual innuendo, and some language, but nothing that will catch a parent of a middle-schooler off guard.

Enriching

It offers a decent starting point for talking about the 'jungle' of high school social dynamics and the way social media amplifies bullying, even if the execution is a bit surface-level.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Reneé Rapp is a force of nature as Regina George, bringing a vocal power and screen presence that almost justifies the remake on its own.
The musical numbers offer a high-energy alternative for theater kids who already know the Broadway soundtrack by heart.
It updates the social media landscape, showing how the 'Burn Book' concept evolves when everyone has a smartphone and a TikTok account.
Janis and Damian remain the heart of the story, providing a grounded, funny counterpoint to the Plastic drama.

⚠

What to Watch For

The musical format isn't for everyone—if your kid expects a straight remake and doesn't like characters breaking into song, this will be a 'cringe' watch.
The bullying is digital now, which can feel more relatable and potentially more triggering for kids currently navigating group chat drama.
There's a fair amount of sexual innuendo and talk about 'hooking up' that fits the PG-13 rating but might be awkward for younger viewers.

Conversation Starters

"Does social media make it easier or harder to be 'mean' compared to the physical Burn Book in the original?"
"Why did Cady feel like she had to dumb herself down or change her look to fit in with the Plastics?"
"Is Regina George a villain, or is she just a product of the high school environment?"
"How do Janis and Damian handle being 'outcasts' differently than Cady handles being popular?"

Deep Dive

The Reneé Rapp Show

Let’s be real: the main reason to watch this is Reneé Rapp. She played Regina George on Broadway, and she owns every second she’s on screen here. She brings a genuine menace and vocal gravity that the rest of the movie struggles to match. When she’s singing 'World Burn,' the movie feels like it has a purpose. When she’s not on screen, things tend to feel a bit more like a generic Disney Channel original movie with a slightly higher budget.

The Musical Identity Crisis

One of the biggest hurdles for this film was its marketing, which tried to hide the fact that it’s a musical. If you go in expecting the 2004 vibes, the sudden bursts into song might feel jarring. The songs themselves are pulled from the Broadway show but 'pop-ified' for a 2024 (and now 2026) audience. Some work—Janis’s 'I’d Rather Be Me' is a great anthem for any kid struggling with social pressure—but others feel like they’re just filling time between plot points we already know by heart.

The TikTok-ification of North Shore High

Updating Mean Girls for the 2020s means acknowledging that the 'Burn Book' would be a viral event, not just a physical notebook. The movie does a decent job of showing how quickly a reputation can be trashed via a few well-placed clips and comments. It’s a good 'do it with them' watch for parents who want to talk about digital footprints and the permanence of online mistakes without being too preachy about it.

Ultimately, this version is fine, but it’s redundant. If you haven't shown your kid the 2004 original yet, start there. It’s funnier, sharper, and didn't need a musical number to tell us that Gretchen Wieners' hair is full of secrets.

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