If you’re thinking of taking your kids to see the new “Mean Girls,” movie and looking for a spoiler-free parent review, don’t worry, I’ve got you. And details to help you decide if Mean Girls is ok for kids you might want to bring. Or if you wouldn’t chalk this movie up to being very kid-friendly. This contains some commissioned links.
What I thought
Mean Girls is one of those movies us millennials love or love to hate. I personally fall into the first group. But when it comes to movies I loved growing up I usually prefer studios stay away from remaking them. But if they must remake them, they’d better be different. One of my biggest gripes about the 2019 remake of The Lion King was the fact that it was an unemotional re-animated version of the exact same movie. Now Mean Girls the MUSICAL? That I can roll with. Personally I haven’t seen the broadway spin on the movie, so I can’t compare the music or performances there so I felt like I went in pretty fresh.
I went with my 13-year-old daughter, a good friend, and an open mind. I came out with songs I immediately wanted to hear again, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. As a mom of a homeschooled kid who just started at public school a line that really resonated with me was when Cady’s mom told her “I think you’re learning things now that I don’t know how to teach you.”
What parents need to know about the new ‘Mean Girls’ movie
Parents wondering if the new Mean Girls is ok for kids should know that this movie follows a similar storyline to the 2004 movie, but this time the kids have upgraded to smartphones and social media, however it’s still all about the epic clash between between the new girl Cady Heron (Angourie Rice) and Regina George (Reneé Rapp). And of course the cute guy in the middle of it all. The movie includes steamy kissing, cleavage, dancing and twerking in revealing costumes and clothing. When it comes to language you’ll hear everything from “a–hole” to “sh*t” “slut” “b*tch” and more. There’s also some vaping and alcohol use as well as violence and danger with school buses.
I personally loved the diverse cast. I knew Auli’i Cravalho (voice of Moana) was in it, but didn’t realize until seeing it that she was playing the role of Janis, Cady’s first sidekick, along with Damian (Jaquel Spivey) both queer characters. Then Regina herself was on the gorgeously thicker side, which I loved to see.
If you enjoyed the Lindsay Lohan version, you might enjoy this twist on the tale that takes it all up a notch and I wouldn’t be surprised if this goes down as another cult classic in years to come.
Parent review
What I liked
I already went into what I liked. The diversity. The cameos of the returning cast and the talented new cast. I also really enjoyed the music.
What I didn’t like
I wasn’t crazy about some of the product placement which I’m not sure I’ve ever been quite as aware of in a movie before. Perhaps it’s because Elf is a product I’ve bought and it seemed like an almost misplaced match (wouldn’t Regina go for a more expensive makeup brand?). But it didn’t bother me enough to distract from the movie.
Is ‘Mean Girls’ ok for kids?
If language, teen drinking and the occasional sexual innuendo aren’t your vibe, you can wait until Mean Girls is streaming and run it through Vidangel to bleep out what you want. It was originally going to go straight to streaming on Paramount+ so I imagine that’s where it’ll head after its theatrical run. Use my VidAngel link to get a free trial!
MPAA Rating: It’s rated PG-13 for sexual material, strong language, and teen drinking.
It has a run time of 122 minutes which feels just the right pacing.
But enough of what I thought, here’s what my kids have to say about Mean Girls. Here’s what my 13-year-old daughter thought.
What my 13-year-old daughter thought of Mean Girls
What did you think of ‘Mean Girls’?
Jayda: I thought it was good. It had a lot of the same stuff from the original and some new stuff too and I really liked that.
What life lesson did you learn in ‘Mean Girls’? What message was the movie trying to get across?
Jayda: To not worry about what other people think of you. You’re special in your own way. Do what you’re good at, and don’t be a mean girl.
Who was your favorite character?
Jayda: Regina or Cady.
What was the funniest part to you?
Jayda: Some of the new jokes.
Who would you recommend this movie to? Friends or others?
Jayda: People who liked the original Mean Girls. Or people my age who just wanna see it, maybe they’ve seen the original too.
What Age do you think it is for? Do You Think ‘Mean Girls’ is Kid-Friendly?
Jayda: I think it’s for the age 13 and up but it depends on what the parents think are good for the kid to watch.
Would you want to watch it again?
Jayda: Yes, definitely. Maybe not in theaters but definitely when it comes out.
How would you rank it compared to other movies we’ve seen recently?
Jayda: I really liked it. I was excited for it cause yes it is a remake but it’s a musical and I really like musicals so I thought it was a fun twist on it. I think I liked it more than a lot of movies we’ve seen recently. It was a fun mother daughter movie night, or fun to see with friends.
What was your favorite part?
Jayda: The song “Someone Gets Hurt”
How many stars would you give it?
Jayda: Four and a half. I liked it more than the first one.
Is it worth going to the movies to see or picking it for Family movie night?
Jayda: Yes!
Media Literacy Questions about ‘Mean Girls’
And I decided to add something new to my reviews, especially when a movie is already out, so if you’re seeing this later you can use these as a kickoff conversation point to talk to your kids about Mean Girls. This is in case you want to go a little deeper than “what did you think?” Here are some suggestions you can use as discussion questions.
In the movie, how do characters handle feeling pressure about how they look? Have you ever felt pressure like that?
Do you think Mean Girls shows people being okay with themselves, even if they don’t fit in with what others expect?
What do you think about the friendships in Mean Girls? Do they remind you of your own friendships? Why or why not?
Have you ever had a problem with a friend like the characters in the movie? How did it turn out?
In the movie, how do the characters’ choices affect their lives and friendships? Can you think of a time in your life when a choice had a big impact?
How do you think social media is shown in the movie? Does it match what you see or experience on social media in real life?
Can you think of times when social media made you feel a certain way about yourself or your friends?
Is there an End Credit Scene in Mean Girls
Yes, not only are the mid credits fun to watch, there is a quick little blip at the very end credits. Not a long scene and maybe not even worth sticking around for, but if you’re finishing up you popcorn you’ll get a little post-movie treat with Regina.
Mean Girls fashion, merch and more
Want to dress for the occasion? Here is some Mean Girls movie merch* we handpicked and added to our LTK affiliate shop.
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Mean Girls is now in theaters!
Wondering how our review of Mean Girls might compare to yours? Check out some of our other movie reviews.
‘BARBIE’ REVIEW
LIVE ACTION ‘THE LITTLE MERMAID’ REVIEW
‘GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3’ REVIEW
‘SHAZAM 2’ REVIEW
‘CREED III’ REVIEW
‘BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER’ REVIEW
‘STRANGE WORLD’ REVIEW
‘THOR LOVE AND THUNDER’ REVIEW
‘JURASSIC WORLD DOMINION’ REVIEW
‘DOCTOR STRANGE AND THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS’ REVIEW
‘SONIC 2’ MOVIE REVIEW
‘TURNING RED’ MOVIE REVIEW
‘SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME’ REVIEW
If you like watching movies together as a family you’ll love our Family Movie Night Journal! Created by me and my oldest daughter Jayda. It’s bringing a family tradition of movie watching and rating to families around the world.
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