There is much that is fresh and sharp in this movie. But it has an uncertain hold on its plot and ends up pulling some of its punches.
Comment
04/29/04
Rate this Movie 
Mean Girls (2004)
84
%
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work
Reviews Counted:168
Fresh:141
Rotten:27
Average Rating:6.9/10
Consensus: Funnier and more smartly written than the average teen comedy.
Theatrical Release:Apr 30, 2004 Wide
Box Office: $85,974,306
Synopsis: In this survival-of-the-fittest teen comedy, high school is a dangerous jungle seething with teenagers who prey on each other like wild animals. The nonstop jokes are hilariously rewarding as they... [More]
Starring: Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Tina Fey, Amanda Seyfried
Director: Mark Waters
Get This Movie
Reviews for Mean Girls
Fey's script balances acid humor and a sweet understanding that the viciousness of high school is good preparation for life.
04/29/04
What it lacks in freshness ... Mean Girls makes up for with its shrewd insights into the female adolescent psyche and all its accompanying neuroses.
04/29/04
Beyond the philosophizing, Mean Girls is a standard collection of low comic jokes ... and a vindication / revenge fantasy directed at moviegoers who are still sad the popular kids didn't like them back in the day.
04/29/04
This is a witty little movie, but a kind coda can't erase its withering bite.
04/29/04
Proves to be less than the sum of its parts, but when it rocks, it rocks you silly.
04/29/04
Top CriticIt's hard to find something nice to say about Mean Girls.
04/29/04
...dissects contemporary adolescence with a withering precision.
04/29/04
It's as if Waters assembled a bunch of performers ... who were born to be thorns in the flesh of the status quo, and instructed them to remain calm at all times and pursue the happy, morally uplifting ending.
04/29/04
Though not a perfect comedy, it manages to be quite often laugh-out-loud funny.
04/29/04
"Mean Girls" is easily the best of the modern day Saturday Night Live comedies, but this SNL flick is (gasp!) actually funny and filled with laugh out loud moments.
04/29/04
Looking out over her new environment, Cady wonders whether she will ever fit in. Looking with her, you can only hope she doesn't.
04/29/04
A slightly above-average teen comedy.
04/29/04
Genuinely spiky and amusing...much sharper and funnier than most movies of its ilk.
04/29/04
Mean Girls is hilarious, brilliant and amazing. See it this weekend. Twice.
04/28/04
falls into the category of teen fare that’s better than you’d expect
04/28/04
You gotta love a film that poses the vital question: 'Is butter a carb?'
04/28/04
A harbinger of hope not only for future feminist comedies of any grit but also for SNL-staffed feature films that don't disproportionately suck.
04/28/04
Top CriticTina Fey's script never quite manages to rise above teen-comedy cliches, but Fey injects the familiar story with wit and some surprising insight.
04/28/04
a smart film masquerading as just another brainless teen flick. Don’t be fooled.
04/28/04
Latest News for Mean Girls
December 14, 2009:
What We're Watching on Blu-ray from Paramount Pictures!
Every week (as part of our new Blu-ray HQ on Rotten Tomatoes) we're sharing what we're watching on Blu-ray, whether they're classics or personal favorites, for a particular... More...
July 22, 2008:
Paramount Developing Game Adaptations 
Have you always wanted to play videogames based on Paramount movies such as Clueless and Pretty in Pink? Good news -- the studio is developing them! More...
July 15, 2008:
An Oral History of RT, Part Three: Ripe Tomatoes
To commemorate the 10th anniversary of Rotten Tomatoes, we asked some of the founding members of RT to share their memories. What follows is an oral history of Rotten Tomatoes'... More...
August 17, 2006:
Box Office Preview: "Snakes" Prepares For Takeoff
This weekend Samuel L. Jackson looks to seize control of the muthaf*ckin' box office with his new muthaf*ckin' film "Snakes on a Plane" which invades theaters on a... More...
RT On Current TV
What’s Hot On RT
Fresh Links
Featured
Best Dozen of the Decade
Last week, MSN gave us their top 09 films. Now see what their favorites of the decade are!
Top 50 of 2009
Here's a list of the 50 best movies of 2009, according to the good people over at Moviefone.
Santa's Naughty List
Hollywood.com takes a stab at determining who in movies will be on Santa's naughty list in 2009.
Top 10 Movies of 2009
TIME chimes in with their own list of the best films released this year.
Top 20 of the Decade
Click through to see which movies BuzzSugar placed in their Best-of-Decade list!
Promos
Follow RT on Twitter
Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!
RSS Feeds