refjioeds

1. Filmopeninganalysis – Mean Girls
We are firstare introducedtowhatis clearlythe maincharacterof the
movie bya short descriptionof CadyHeron(LindsayLohan) lifebeforeshe
starts school.Fromthisshort clipwe can tell thatCady’sparentsare too
overprotective aboutherbecause of the waytheywere takingpicturesand
cryingabout herfirstday of school at 16, thisis lateron showntobe a key
part inthe filmbecause of the baddecisionsCadymakesandhow her
parentsare influencedbythem.
In the fourthcut the audience are showna longshotof the familieshouse
formthisinformationthe audience cangatherthatit isa nice familynottoo richnot too poor,later
inthe filmwe are shownone of the meanmeangirlshouse fromthe outside andin,comparedto
Cadyshouse itshuge and amazing,thisgivesthe audience the impressionthatif youwantto be
acceptedintothe ‘popular’youhave tobe rich.
Cady (Lindsay) alsobreaksthe fourthwall as,thisconveysherpoweranddominance that we expect
she will have lateroninthe film,fromthisclipitthenleadsonto Cady narratingher life whichis
self-observationthisalsotransfersherdominance inthe film andalsohow she will come outontop
because more confidentgirlswhothinkthey’re the bestwill nevermake abadcommentabout
themselvesandthinktheirperfect. ItisshownbyCady narratingherlife before school,Cadyhasa
verysad/teenage tone tohervoice inthe waythat she wasn’texcitedforwhatshe wasaboutto
endure, she evengoesfarenoughtoquestionwhyherparentswouldchoose tohome-schoolher
and alreadyruinherreputationinschool fromthe otherkidsperspectives ‘home-schooledkidsare
freaks’.WhenCadyisnarratingher life the scene swaps toa girl whoispurposefully dressedin
‘nerdy’clothes whothisisdone togive the audience animage of whatthe ‘typical home-schooled
kid’lookslike.Thisissignificantlaterbecause she actuallyturnouttobe the one bully‘nerdygirls’a
stereotype she wasalreadyworriedabouthavingfrombeinghome-schooled.