Very few teen movies can capture the anxieties of sophomore life like Mean Girls. Sixteen years on, Mean Girls is still as relevant as ever, and that’s because the film is not just about high school kids bullying each other, but it taps into how personal anxieties and gender oppression can enable a toxic culture.
But Mean Girls has not particularly aged well, since millennial and Gen-Z viewers have a much better perspective of what’s appropriate and what’s not, and have called out quite a few characters for being devious. Like Janis Ian, for instance, why would she push Cady towards The Plastics when she knows how ruthless Regina George is? Here are some of the best characters from the movie ranked.
10 Cady’s Parents
Cady Heron’s zoologist parents can be cited as a unit because they appear together whenever they do appear in the film. But fans of the movie have often talked about how, in spite of being good parents, they may not have prepared their daughter for the challenges involved with American sophomore life, especially since she grew up being homeschooled in Africa.
The film makes it obvious that they are anxious to learn if Cady can adjust to her new life, but they never really communicate with her in a way that would help her find some personal footing or a sense of self. They also abruptly ground her after the Burn Book incident, without trying to get to the bottom of the situation, and don’t try to understand how Cady herself was a victim of an unbalanced culture.
9 Janis Ian
Many fans of the cult movie have pointed out that Janis was, in reality, quite duplicitous in her motives since she was someone who could protect Cady from the toxic Plastics. Janis used to be Regina's friend and knows better than anyone that Regina was a total bully and also enjoys making others miserable.
Instead of giving Cady real insight into her character, she pushes her towards Regina’s gang as a spy to bring down The Plastics. As devious and functional as her plan was, it was also quite self-serving, considering Janis’ history with Regina.
8 Principal Duvall
It’s safe to say Principal Ron Duvall was not entirely equipped to deal with the savageness of The Plastics and also the toxicity which existed in North Shore High School.
This is not to say his methods were ineffective since he was quick to acknowledge a problem when he saw it. But he just wasn’t successful in getting to the root of an issue. His speech at the gym, for instance, where he only addressed the girls, was somewhat problematic because it only addresses the Burn Book but not the culture of slut-shaming that exists in the school.
7 Karen Smith
Throughout Mean Girls Karen was been dubbed as the dumbest girl in school and she has self-esteem issues, as she clearly internalized what people say about her and genuinely believes she has no skills, as such.
Karen is not manipulative, scathing or vengeful like Regina George and it’s possible that she only hangs out with Regina because she desperately wants her approval. Being a part of The Plastics was a huge part of her identity because it obviously made her feel better about herself, but in general, she was too self-absorbed to actually go out of her way to hurt someone.
6 Regina George
Regina George is one of the most emphatic pop culture figures, whose character design as a bully is so flawless that it could be used as a relevant example even today.
What makes Regina so interesting is that she is also a victim of the culture that she perpetrates, but she doesn’t realize it. Many fans have pointed out that though she’s a terrible friend and clearly an oppressor, she is also the victim of a systematic form of alienation, which is also why she’s insecure in most of her relationships.
5 Mrs. George
There are many reasons why Mrs. George, in spite of having a combined screentime of fewer than five minutes, is still considered iconic. Amy Poehler’s approach to the ‘cool mom’ trope is actually designed to come across as somewhat tragic.
Of course, she isn’t the perfect parent since she literally says there are no rules in her house and is trying her very best to fit in with her daughter’s teenage friends, which is weird. But Mrs. George is also Regina’s biggest cheerleader and is not as self-serving as her daughter.
4 Gretchen
For 'Fetch Queen' Gretchen to be part of The Plastics is somewhat of an accomplishment, something that required quite a few sacrifices on her part, as she eventually reveals to Cady. So, she was very aware of what she gave up just so she could be close to Regina. But since she’s not totally without conscience or self-awareness, this starts taking a toll on her, and she eventually cracks.
It is also important to her that the reason she abided with all the oppressive rules is that she just wanted to be part of The Plastics, so when she begins to see the futility of it all, she doesn’t cope well.
3 Ms. Norbury
Ms. Norbury has been quite instrumental in educating her students about the realities of slut-shaming and what makes her so relatable is the fact that she is not someone who claims to know the solution to ending the toxic culture that exists in North Shore, although she’s aware how much it affects her students.
This is also the difference between her and Principal Duvall’s approach to the Burn Book situation because Duvall instantly believed that the problem lies with the female students, whereas Norbury made the students see how they have all contributed to the negativity which surrounds them.
2 Cady Heron
Despite being impressively self-aware, Cady has anxieties about fitting into a new high school, especially since she has spent her life getting homeschooled. She’s smart, hard-working and also a non-conformist, but doesn’t particularly enjoy being a total outcast. It’s safe to say she enjoys attention, which explains why she is fascinated by The Plastics and starts relating to some of their core values.
Since Cady is coming to terms with some aspects of her own personality, as well, it was rather disappointing that she would give in to her deviousness, be it the Kalteen Bar plan or calling Ms. Norbury a ‘drug pusher.’ However, Cady’s ‘Regina’ streak is short-lived as she quickly realizes how it’s shaping her adversely and affecting those around her.
1 Damian
Damian is undoubtedly one of the most interesting characters in the film, and also one of the few people in the film who are not ruled entirely by their insecurities. Damian is also one of Cady's biggest allies and he helps her navigate her sophomore experience.
It becomes evident that Damian and Janis may have a co-dependent relationship, so much so that when Janis is seething about Cady, he can’t help but budge and give in to the pressure. But Damian is, at his very core, a loyal friend, which is something that can’t be said about most people in the film.
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July 06, 2020 at 07:30AM
