What qualifies something as a ‘classic’ piece of art? Worthy of analysis in literature, art or film studies classes and deemed Important To The Culture? While we could argue all day about technical skill, I’m settling on two criteria: it inspires an emotional response from its audience and a legacy of references and reinterpretations. Jane Austen’s novels are constantly adapted (my personal fave being Bride and Prejudice); Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 1850 novel The Scarlet Letter inspired, amongst other things, the 2010s teen movie Easy A; the ‘greatest film ever made’, Citizen Kane, influenced and is referenced in just about every villain-protagonist story from The Godfather to Succession. Based on these criteria, you can’t deny that the iconic 2004 teen comedy Mean Girls is a modern day cinema classic.
So how does it feel to be tasked with reimagining a classic? Australian actress Angourie Rice tells me frankly: “It’s nerve-wracking.” She’s playing Cady Heron in the movie adaptation of the stage musical adaptation of the movie, Mean Girls: The Musical, showing in January 2024 – just 20 years after the beloved original rocked an entire generation of Millennial teens to create a lasting impact on pop culture. “I would argue it’s the most quoted movie of all time. So it’s very surreal to know that I’m a part of that now, and it does feel like a big responsibility because it’s such a huge part of everyone’s cultural lexicon.”
The initial response to the new movie trailer was… mixed. Both film critics, old fans and newer, young audiences had a lot to say about what the adaptation would need to do to evolve the rich satire and messages of the original. Rather than shy away from the criticism or get defensive about whether we ‘get it’, Angourie is excited people are so engaged. After all, she also has a fortnightly podcast called The Community Library, where she analyses books, films and TV. “I always love to be critical of the art that I watch and it is hard to see that with your own work. And it is sort of hard to know that I do that with other people’s work. But literary criticism is not necessarily just being critical and saying bad things. It’s interesting because there are some reviews that I’ve seen of my own work that I think bring up really good points.”
It’s refreshing to see an artist embrace this concept so eagerly. “It’s more about dissecting it and understanding it,” she says. “And if there are parts of it that you don’t like, understanding why you don’t like them, and why they might be upsetting to you, or why they don’t work within whatever you’re analysing.” That’s another component of good art worthy of classic status – it gives us something to chew on. By dissecting it, we get to identify and question the underlying messages that shape our cultural norms, influence how we perceive real-world events, understand different perspectives and navigate complex social issues.
You’ve got this naive, new girl and she rises to this ultra-feminine sort of power. How does she wield that power? Who is allowed to take that power and who isn’t?
Media analysis, cultural criticism and critical thinking about entertainment can help us engage with the world in a more discerning, empathetic way… but that will only happen if criticism comes from diverse points of view. That’s not happening: according to a 2022 report, men wrote 74% of all movie reviews – an 8% decline from 2020. The media outlets publishing film criticism had a 76% male staff. The same report in 2020 found that 64% of the ‘top’ female critics and 76% of the ‘top’ male critics are white.
Representation in who gets to critique movies is necessary to challenge the historically white-male-dominated viewpoints that have shaped the narrative around what constitutes “important” or “good” art. Why can’t Mean Girls be considered as defining as The Godfather? For a start, male critics are documented as being harsher on female-led films (we saw this with the dismissal of Barbie by mostly male critics and audiences). When underrepresented voices are able to actively and vocally participate as critics, they bring attention to stories, themes, and filmmaking styles that have been overlooked in the past. That doesn’t start and stop with young white women, though.
Mean Girls: The Musical has improved on-screen diversity compared to the original, but Angourie says its take on girlhood, adolescence and feminism is most ripe for analysis by women who don’t fit The Plastics mould of femininity. “What I love about Mean Girls is Cady’s character arc. You’ve got this naive, new girl and she rises to this ultra-feminine sort of power. How does she wield that power? What does that power mean? Who is allowed to take that power, and who isn’t allowed that? The dynamics of power within high school and [for] young women is a very interesting, meaty part that people could analyse and write essays about.”
Whether it’s a video essay or written essay on Substack, a very lengthy Instagram caption or a Tweet-thread, posting your takes online is how Angourie envisions us taking some power back from the gatekeepers of culture. “Analysing media is now accessible to everyone. Sometimes it’s a blessing and sometimes it’s a curse, but I do think that’s something the internet has been so good for,” she says. It not only enriches the discourse around cinema, but paves the way for a more equitable industry that reflects the perspectives of audiences around the world.
Now that we have the power and platforms to reshape the narratives around what makes ‘good art’, it’s time we use it.
Mean Girls: The Musical will be screening in Australian cinemas on January 11.
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Being Seen: Milo Hartill on How You Can Demand Better On-Screen Representation
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