Considered a classic movie about teenagers, Mean Girls is full of famous and funny quotes, scenes featuring 2000s fashion, and great performances by the cast. It's always enjoyable watching Cady begin attending high school and learn about the social world that is brand new to her.
While the movie is a smart comedy with many iconic moments, it's also a perfect examination of young adult life and the problems that high schoolers face. From the main premise to the way that the characters behave, Mean Girls deserves praise for the way that it talks about teenagehood.
Desperately Wanting To Be Part Of The Cool Crowd
From the moment that Cady begins scheming to be part of the Plastics, audiences know that Mean Girls is all about who is considered cool and who isn't. There's a difference between the way that the Plastics and Janis and Damian are treated, and it's all too relatable as many high schools do have a popular crowd.
Cady really wants to be considered cool, even if she starts off thinking that Regina and her friends are silly and ridiculous, and this is very true to the teenage experience. She is still finding her sense of self and that means trying on different personalities and copying her new friends.
Confusion About Dating
Cady likes Aaron Samuels, but she isn't sure how to date as she hasn't been part of a real high school before.
While many teens don't have the same background as Cady, most people are still confused about the dating world when they're in high school. It can be tough to know how to turn a crush into a relationship, and since Aaron and Regina used to date, that is complicated for Cady, too.
Feeling Insecure All The Time
From ditzy Plastics member Karen to Janis and her best friend Damian, all of the main characters in Mean Girls are insecure, and it makes the movie super relatable. It also proves that this film has gotten a lot right about high school life.
The whole reason why Regina is so mean is that she's deeply insecure and worried about what people think of her. She creates a social group so she can feel better about herself, and soon everyone at the high school falls in line, which is tough to watch. Even Cady, who seems like she has a better head on her shoulders than everyone else at first, just wants to be liked.
A Mean Girl/Queen Bee Who Bullies Everyone
Regina George is one of the meanest young adult characters in pop culture. She creates a Burn Book where she and her friends can make fun of everyone at school, and she loves being the one who makes all the decisions in her friend group.
Mean Girls definitely gets this part of the story right, as Regina is the classic mean girl/Queen Bee who is also a bully. She enjoys being loved by everyone and she doesn't stop to think about how her actions affect other people. She controls the way that her friends think, dress, and act.
Realizing Everyone Has More In Common Than They Thought
Near the end of Mean Girls, the students gather together in the gym and begin talking to each other in a much more real and genuine way.
Ms. Norbury wants the students to tell each other that they're sorry and she wants them to realize that they should be much kinder to one another. It's clear that the high schoolers realize that they were wrong and that while they might think that they're different, they actually have a lot more in common than they originally thought. They all worry about being popular and they all just want to be appreciated for who they are.
Worrying About Physical Appearance, Food, And Body Image
Regina has many hilarious quotes in Mean Girls and one famous quote is when she asks, "Is butter a carb?"
Mean Girls gets another part of being a teenage right: worrying about food, body image, and physical appearance. Regina is constantly concerned that she's going to gain weight and she's convinced that if she does, she won't look good and no one will look up to her anymore. This is very relatable and hopefully after everyone bonds at the end of the movie, the characters will start loving themselves more and letting go of some of these worries.
Spending A Lot Of Time On The Phone
Mean Girls fans can likely recall the famous phone call scene by heart, as the characters don't realize who is actually on the phone call and end up insulting each other.
Mean Girls also gets this part of teenage life right: spending a lot of time on the phone. Back in the '90s and 2000s, teens used to phone their friends and chat for hours, and now everyone is scrolling through social media, commenting on and liking photos, and of course, texting and video chatting.
Hiding Real Interests
Cady is great at math and secretly loves school, but she doesn't want Regina and her new pals to think that she's uncool, so she ends up hiding her hobbies, passions, and interests for much of the movie.
This is very true to life, as many teenagers hide what they're really interested in for the same reason as Cady. It's hard not to fear being judged by peers and having them think that it's silly to care about these things.
Shifting Social Alliances
Damian and Janis are the nicest people in Mean Girls, as it's hard to root for the members of the Plastics who constantly insult each other and their peers. Mean Girls proves that in high school, social ties are always changing, and friend groups don't always stay the same.
Cady betrays Janis and Damian by actually wanting to belong to the Plastics and becoming just as awful as them, and the Plastics themselves shift, as Gretchen and Karen and Regina begin turning on each other.
Halloween And Other Parties Are A Big Deal
Another thing that the movie also shows about high school is that Halloween is a huge deal as it gives people the opportunity to dress up and, in this case, show off.
Parties are also considered a big part of high school life and this is especially true for the popular crowd. The Halloween gathering is where Cady learns more about her peers and realizes that there's a lot she doesn't know.