3 Short Paragraphs: Mean Girls

2004, Mark Waters (Mr. Popper's Penguins) -- Netflix

Yup, we watched a decade old teen girl comedy. Because I hadn't seen it, because I was a John Waters fan in the day, because I was curious to look back on Lyndsay Lohan before she self-immolated.  And Rachel McAdams as the Bad Guy.... ok, bad girl. I imagine, that for some generations, not seeing this movie was like my generation not seeing Heathers. And it's a lot of fun! Co-written by Tina Fey, it is smart, witty and downright horrid at times. No, it's not Easy A or 10 Things I Hate About You level of smart fun but it joins that collection well. And no, I do not have a section of teen girl comedies on my shelf; I am just well versed. Ahem.

Lyndsay plays Cady, new arrival at school from Africa, where she was home schooled. Which means she gets stuck hanging out with the weird kids Damian and Janis. But they have a plan; insert Cady into the clique-y Plastics, become popular and then destroy the Plastics from within. But Cady becomes enamoured with the nice clothes, the popularity and power and has to be taught a lesson of her own.

This is Lyndsay post-adolescence but before the weird years. The weirder thing is that my collective conscience memory has her doing the Miley Cyrus child TV star thing, but no, she really got her start as a young teen in the remake of Freaky Friday. So, I am not sure how she was so quickly able to fall down while Cyrus continues the path of successful post-kid-star weirdness. Amanda Bynes followed Lyndsay's path, as I predicted, yet Bieber seems to be recovering. Next up, Ariana Grande who is being well monitored, despite the donut incident. What is with my obsessive desire to see teen stars fall but not all of them?  I don't know.