The Bottom Line:

Mean Girls is an amusing and occasionally sharp picture of high school life, but like its forefather Heathers, it abandons its cynicism and compromises its values in its third act, much to the film's detriment.

hey, everyone, if you are planning on buying this movie, go ahead. Its awesome, and incredibly funny, lol. I loved it so much i bought it on my ipod! its my second fav movie; my first is TITANIC!!

Ok so this may not be the typical 20 something movie because it was written for teens, and upon retrospect it should have. The movie incorporated lots of laughter with puns yet still has serious life lessons.

I was proud that Tina Fey created this flim, it was a pleasure to watch.

I thought Lindsay Lohan was spectacular in this film. She looked stunningly beautiful and at the time of the movie's release, I was pretty young in college and I thought she was the hottest gal in the world.

Mean Girls is your standard teen movie. The main focus this time is the "girl wars" that occur quite regularly in high schools. The movie has some sort of value to it. I mean I'm not talking Plato's work here, but I do think the movie is on the level of Breakfast Club in that you sort of think about all the various sub-groups that occur in high schools.

Overall, the movie was pleasing. By the end, I was quite displeased with some of the random events that occurred - like the bus smash - but overall the movie is pretty good and consistence. It includes everything you'd want in a teen movie: a bit of gossips, nerds, the sexy scene, the lame parental units that somehow ends up being cool, back stabbing your friends then having to regain their trust and friendship, and finally the ultimate defeat of the rival group that ultimately bonds the entire school such that everyone has their own code and they walk past you with that affirmative nod like King of the Hill's "Yep."

There are so many ways for a movie like this to go wrong that it's amazing how successfully it portrays the reality of that most bloodthirsty jungle, high school. If you go broad you end up with revolting bottom of the barrel humor, ala the American Pie franchise. If you go dark you risk losing the excitement and exuberance of high school, a place where human personality is constantly evolving. The high water mark for films of this kind was hit by Clueless, which is frothy, smart, sly, and fun. Welcome To The Dollhouse resides at the opposite end, though thoroughly brilliant it is at times so painfully honest that it's difficult to watch. Mean Girls faultlessly rides the fence between theses poles, the pitch and tone are just right - tough-minded enough to be real, silly enough to be charming.

Tina Fey, who wrote the screenplay and plays Ms. Norbury, beleaguered math teacher, deserves high marks - her script drives the film's fate. Director Mark Waters is also responsible for another fine picture that runs the gauntlet between silly and insightful - Just Like Heaven, with Mark Ruffalo and Reese Witherspoon. In that movie he made me believe a man was falling in love with a ghost - and got me to care about them. On the other hand, he also directed House Of Yes, an appalling Pinter-esque, drawing room gabfest intended to impress intellectuals - watch that turkey at your peril - Parker Posey notwithstanding.

A movie of this sort does not rely on good acting, which is fortunate. What Ms. Lohan does might be described as charming the camera, but it would never qualify as acting. However, Waters has surrounded her with eye candy and talented character actors, which can cover up a world of sin. Tim Meadows, as Principal Duvall, brings an impeccable dry, ironic delivery to the table while Rajiv Surendra, as the math uber-geek, threatens to run off with every scene he's in. Rachel McAdams is convincing as Regina, the Barbie doll come to life - one can only hope she's an amazing actress and nothing like that in person. Surprisingly, Amy Poehler is thoroughly uninteresting as Regina's mom, a part that had comedy home run written all over it.

Ms. Fey probably knew it would be hard sustain this high-wire performance for 3 acts. Mean Girls does bog down after a bit, and the resolution is downright facile. But by then you already like it so much that it just doesn't matter. Poor Cady, Lindsay Lohan, goes from being home schooled in Africa to surviving the watering hole politics of an American high school, things just got a lot tougher. Recommended.