Mean Girls Viewing Guide

Mean Girlsis a 2004 American teencomedyfilm directed byMark Waters. The screenplay was written byTina Feyand is based in part on the non-fiction book Queen Bees and WannabesbyRosalind Wiseman, which describes how femalehigh schoolsocialcliquesoperate and the effect they can have on girls. Mean Girlstreads the well-worn path of the teen high school movie. It is aimed primarily at young girls still living out the daily reality of adolescence and high school life, but its wit and superb cast have given it appeal to a much wider audience.

Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) is the daughter of zoologists who have brought her up in the African jungle and taught her themselves. On their move back to America, Cady’s parents decide it is about time she went to school, and so at the age of sixteen she enrolls at an Illinois high school. Her first day in the junior class is not the success Cady was hoping for; she is shunned by her class and comes home feeling miserable.

However, Cady’s fortunes soon take a turn for the better. The punkish Janis (Lizzy Caplan) and the flamboyant Damien (Daniel Franzese) adopt Cady as a friend and educate her about the high school’s social hierarchy. Cady’s good looks also get her noticed by the Plastics, the alpha girl “teen royalty” led by their Queen Bee Regina (Rachel McAdams) and her devoted groupies Gretchen (Lacey Chabert) and the intellectually challenged Karen (Amanda Seyfried). The Plastics decide to take Cady under their wing. Cady seems reluctant to accept this hand of friendship at first, but soon concocts a plan with Janis and Damien to infiltrate the Plastics in order to find out their dark secrets and bring them down. Trouble ensues as Cady discovers her inner ‘mean girl’ for the first time. However, she ultimately discovers that the life of a mean girl is not all that it is cracked up to be.

Cast

·  Lindsay Lohanas Cady Heron

·  Rachel McAdamsas Regina George

·  Lizzy Caplanas Janis Ian

·  Lacey Chabertas Gretchen Wieners

·  Amanda Seyfriedas Karen Smith

·  Tina Feyas Ms. Sharon Norbury

·  Tim Meadowsas Mr. Duvall

·  Jonathan Bennettas Aaron Samuels

·  Daniel Franzeseas Damien

·  Amy Poehleras Mrs. George

·  Ana Gasteyeras Betsy Heron

·  Neil Flynnas Chip Heron

·  Daniel DeSantoas Jason

·  Rajiv Surendraas Kevin Gnapoor

·  Diego Klattenhoffas Shane Oman

Viewing Questions

1.  What did you think ofMean Girls? Does it reflect your own experience of being a teenager?

2.  What do you think of Cady? Do you think she is a likeable character? Why/why not?

3.  What do you think this film has to say about teen culture?

4.  Describe the atmosphere in the high school.

5.  Why are the Plastics so concerned with their appearance? Why do you think our modern society is so obsessed with appearance and image?

6.  How doesMean Girlsportray those who aren’t part of the popular crowd at school? What do you think the film has to say about such people?

7.  Why do Regina and her cronies treat the other high school pupils so badly? What do you think that says about their own characters?

8.  Why do the Plastics and the other girls in high school crave popularity? Why do we as humans seek to be popular and be accepted by those around us?

9.  Why does Cady start to act like the Plastics? How much of an influence do you think our friends and culture are on the way that we behave?

10.  What has Cady learnt by the end of the film? How does she change as the film progresses?