The True Rom-Com in 'Mean Girls'
Happy sweet sixteenth to 'Mean Girls!' We talk about the film's most underrated couple: Cady and Regina.
No, it’s not the exact anniversary of Mean Girls. Alas, the film did celebrate a big birthday earlier this year: sweet 16. A pivotal year for adolescence. The year high schoolers can finally yell, “Get in loser, we’re going shopping.” out of the driver seat.
That’s why we’re talking about Mean Girls today — also, it’s Oct. 1. Three days away from:
As dreamy as Aaron Samuels is, Mean Girls may not technically be a rom-com. But it feels like one, right? What does “technically” even mean? What does rom-com even mean? On a podcast with the fantastic trio of You Should See the Other Guy, Fletcher briefly mentioned Regina George being a famous “other guy” — meaning, she should have ended up with protagonist Cady Heron. We’re both strongly in favor of the Cady/Regina pairing. So, we wondered — would Mean Girls be a rom-com if Cady and Regina were the two romantic leads? (and @YSSTOG, Mean Girls Episode when?)
From The Ringer’s “The Essential Guide to Defining a Romantic Comedy,” we grabbed the essential beats a romantic, comedic film must have in order to be labeled a rom-com. We stacked these up to Mean Girls and see who did it better: Cady and Aaron, or Cady and Regina. Our findings:
1. A Protagonist Looking for Love
Fletcher: In all intents and purposes, Cady Heron is the protagonist of Mean Girls. But the question remains: is Cady looking for love? No, not really. Regina, on the other hand, searches to fill the hole in her heart left by a one Aaron Samuels. To further this cliché, the protagonist tends to be a workaholic in a polished life. Regina, that’s you, babe. She may not have a career yet, but that social life is a full-time job.
Annabelle: Cady may not be explicitly looking for love, but she is certainly not not looking for love. This falls under the rom-com category of “protagonist in denial,” which in many cases, is the workaholic trope, so there’s some overlap! Cady’s starting high school, a real one! It’s a huge life upheaval! And with that, obviously, comes the new chance for romance, obviously.
2. Two characters dislike each other
Annabelle: From the get-go, Cady is told that she cannot like Regina George because she’s “plastic.” This is a star crossed lovers plotline if ever I’ve seen one. Instead of Montagues and Capulets, it’s Plastic vs. Non-Plastic. Duh.
Fletcher: Agree with you there. Cady and Aaron have no distaste for one another, which bridles their sexual tension. “So you agree? You think you’re really pretty?” sounds like something from the mouth of suave Hugh Grant in Bridget Jones Diary. Cady and Regina sizzle, pop, and burn.
3. Meet Cute
Fletcher: Maybe Cady and Aaron have a meet-cute in Tina Fey’s math class. But in Fandango’s Movieclips YouTube channel — which I frequently visit — the first video for Mean Girls is “Meeting the Plastics.” It’s the most important.
Annabelle: In some cases, the meet cute is an introduction! When Janice introduces Cady to Regina from afar, telling her all the rumors about her, well, I can’t think of a better first impression. And I hate to break it to you, but “It’s October 3rd” isn’t the most romantic intro either.
4. Circumstances that tear them apart
Annabelle: Sometimes its “circumstances” but in this case, it is two literal people: Janice and Damian. Yet another Romeo & Juliet parallel! They are torn apart by their social circles and societal expectation. Tale as old as time.
Fletcher: And another layer to yours, Annabelle: misogyny tears them apart. Powerful women are forced to hate each other. In this case, this may be more applicable to Cady and Aaron, who are torn apart because of Regina. I do, however, think that women are forced to hate each other for no reason. Both Regina and Aaron win a point for Cady’s heart in this round.
5. After the two have realized they fall for each other, they fall apart
Annabelle: When Cady realizes that she has changed who she is entirely to get Regina (and the rest of the plastics) to like her, we reach the movie's climax. Cady realized that she has lost herself in her relationship with the Plastics, and has become fully a part of her world, causing her to reevaluate everything. This is arguably the opposite of Aaron, who admits he could care less if she was “Plastic” or not.
Fletcher: Yes, exactly! Cady is aware that she’s fallen in love with Plastic culture and Regina(’s lifestyle) along with it. This beat also requires a revelation that someone has been lying the whole time. The Kälteen Bars, duh! And yet, this point could also go to Aaron, who realizes Cady’s just a secondhand Regina.
6. Big scene where people involved make some romantic gesture
Fletcher: This just blatantly doesn’t exist, in the case of Aaron. For Regina, however, it does. Cady wins prom queen and makes this grandiose gesture — she snaps the crown into pieces, giving one to each of her fellow nominees. In front of the whole school. Romantic!
7. So… they get together?
Annabelle: In this case, no, but that’s okay because not all romcoms have a happy ending! Tons of romances fail or don’t work out, it makes sense that Cady’s and Regina’s didn't. Still! That doesn’t make it any less of a romcom!
Fletcher: Yeah, no, they don’t end up together. Cady ends up with Aaron. But, like our friends over at You Should See the Other Guy, I can’t help but pine for a more justified conclusion where Cady ends up with Regina. Or, at least, one where they become friends.
Conclusion
Fletcher: To me, Regina and Cady follow more of the rom-com beats and rules than Cady and Aaron. Mean Girls is a rom-com — but only if you view it from the lens of Regina and Cady as lovers. They have so much more argumentative chemistry, which is so vital to the rom-com aura. I didn’t want it to come to this; nevertheless, I have a Mean Girls handle on Instagram (@so.fletch, follow me), which yields me all authority on the film.
Annabelle: Though my rules for what constitutes a rom-com are much looser than Fletcher’s, (if I laugh and romance is a central plotline, it’s a rom-com) even the most rigid rom-com genre definition could not crack Mean Girls. It’s a gem on all fronts, even this one! Happy Sweet 16th to this film and happy Mean Girls day to all this upcoming weekend. Don’t forget to text everyone to let them know that it’s October 3rd.