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Mean Girls

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2:26

Mean Girls

PG-13

Released Apr 30, 2004

1h 37m

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

84%

Tomatometer

220 Reviews

66%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

Teenage Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) was educated in Africa by her scientist parents. When her family moves to the suburbs of Illinois, Cady finally gets to experience public school and gets a quick primer on the cruel, tacit laws of popularity that divide her fellow students into tightly knit cliques. She unwittingly finds herself in the good graces of an elite group of cool students dubbed "the Plastics," but Cady soon realizes how her shallow group of new friends earned this nickname.

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Critics Consensus

Elevated by a brilliant screenplay and outstanding ensemble cast, Mean Girls finds fresh, female-fronted humor in the high school experience.

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Joe Clay

Times (UK)

Fey does not take the book too seriously, finding plenty of cruel humour in the bitchy battles between Cady and Regina.

Jan 25, 2024

Full Review

Kirk Honeycutt

The Hollywood Reporter

One of the movie's achievements is persuading the audience to stay firmly in Cady's camp during her odyssey of self-discovery.

Jan 8, 2024

Full Review

Anthony Quinn

Independent (UK)

This teen comedy is terrific. Superbly scripted by Saturday Night Live head writer Tina Fey, it explores the viciously divisive cliques that render the American high school a virtual battleground.

Rated: 4/5

Jan 8, 2024

Full Review

Megan Loucks

InSession Film

The film’s relevancy has stood the test of time with not only its iconic quotes just at the tips of our tongues, but because the team behind it crafted something truly special with its snappy script and prolific performances.

Rated: A

May 12, 2025

Full Review

Brennan Klein

Screen Rant

Mean Girls features certain elements that do not stand the test of time, but the parts of it that sparkled most in 2004 still shine just as bright.

Rated: 4.5/5

Oct 3, 2024

Full Review

Nicholas Barber

Independent on Sunday

Tina Fey, who also plays Cady's maths teacher, has packed the screenplay with enough barbed one-liners to ensure that, as high-school comedies go, Mean Girls is near the top of the class.

Jan 10, 2024

Full Review

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Marvin U

Always a joy to rewatch even after 20 years. Looking forward to the 25th anniversary!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/24/25

Full Review

Audience Member

Had a good laugh. Represented how girls in school act in real life. Definitely keeps up with the times 20 years later.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

05/23/25

Full Review

Jace E

I've been on a bit of a romcom streak lately. As I've watched them, I've noticed that there are some teen romcoms that are quotable ("She's the Man"), some that are classics ("Clueless") and some that have a ridiculous premise that kind of works ("She's All That"). In each of these cases, there are pieces of greatness but all of them are lacking in one area: a strong screenplay. Tina Fey's script for "Mean Girls" is one of the best comedy scripts that I've ever read and it has an instantly recognizable tone from the first scene. This movie delivers on many different levels, from the iconic characters to the witty cutaways. With a strong premise at the forefront and great performances all around, I honestly believe that "Mean Girls" is the best teen romcom of the last 30 years and one of the best of all time. Best Character: Regina George Best Quote: "She doesn't even go here!" - Damian Best Scene: The Trust Falls

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

05/21/25

Full Review

Jasmin M

I really love this movie because it actually shows you what most teenage and adult girls are like in high school…

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/18/25

Full Review

Cypress H

My only argument for this movie is that it's simply a classic. You can't beat Mean Girls in original 2000s movies in my book.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

05/17/25

Full Review

Ed R

A coming of age movie with hilarity ensuing all movie!

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

05/12/25

Full Review

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Mark Waters

Director

Lindsay Lohan

Cady Heron

Rachel McAdams

Regina George

Tina Fey

Mrs. Norbury

Tim Meadows

Mr. Duvall

Amy Poehler

Mrs. George

Mean Girls: Official Clip - Cady Goes Primal

0:30

Mean Girls: Official Clip - Such a Good Friend

1:36

Mean Girls: Official Clip - Regina Meets Bus

1:51

Mean Girls: Official Clip - A Lot of Feelings

1:46

Mean Girls: Official Clip - Meeting the Plastics

1:17

Mean Girls: Official Clip - Girls Gone Wild!

2:08

Mean Girls: Official Clip - Making Things Right

1:53

Mean Girls: Official Clip - Sweatpants on Monday

0:54

Mean Girls: Official Clip - Regina Bashes Janis

1:02

Mean Girls: Official Clip - You're Plastic

1:31

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Synopsis

Teenage Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) was educated in Africa by her scientist parents. When her family moves to the suburbs of Illinois, Cady finally gets to experience public school and gets a quick primer on the cruel, tacit laws of popularity that divide her fellow students into tightly knit cliques. She unwittingly finds herself in the good graces of an elite group of cool students dubbed "the Plastics," but Cady soon realizes how her shallow group of new friends earned this nickname.

Director: Mark Waters
Producer: Lorne Michaels
Screenwriter: Tina Fey
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount Pictures, M.G.Films
Rating: PG-13 (Sexual Content|Language)
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 30, 2004, Wide
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Oct 3, 2024
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $86.1M
Runtime: 1h 37m
Sound Mix: Dolby SRD, DTS, Surround
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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