Screwball comedies likeDumb and DumberandZoolanderwere all about men and how ridiculous, horny, and goofy they can be.
Women werent treated the same way in these comedies.
Women were often the objects of cockeyed mens attention rather than a source of comedy themselves.
Lacey Chabert, Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, and Amanda Seyfried in Mean Girls (2004) | IMDb
In 2004, that all changed withMean Girls.
Mean Girlswas likely a risk for Paramount Pictures.
Luckily, they had Lindsay Lohan at the films helm and the writing power of Tina Fey.
But never before had a female-centric comedy reached the same popularity as these traditional male screwball comedies.
If it werent forMean Girls, films likeBridesmaids,Pitch Perfect, andGirls Tripmight not exist today.
It heightened the craft of storytelling with expertly written jokes and the sarcastic Bill Murray.
When we think of the greatest all-time comedies, few feature women.
A male-dominated Hollywood contributed to this.
Were not knocking the comedy greats!
Were just saying that maybe they shouldve let Gilda Radner write a movie too.
In anIMDblist of 35 of the Best Comedy Movie/TV Writers, theres not one woman.
Naturally, this means that these films were about and marketed to men.
And it hit the mark.
And of course, we cant forget Gretchen Weiners outburst, You cant sit with us!
and Regina George setting the shirt-with-holes-over-the-bra trend.
Gross teens are making out.
Ms. Norburys shirt accidentally reveals her bra.
Jason asks Cady if her muffin is buttered.
Beyond this,Mean Girlsemploys several comedy trademarks of the late 90s and early 2000s.
Revenge and anger had often been seen as male characteristics, which inspired great goofy film plots.
It became a reflection of the millennial women who grew up watching it.
It might align with dumb comedies from before in style and humor, but its thematic undertones elevated it.
In this way,Mean Girlsmade comedy for women just as cool as comedy for men.
BeforeMean Girls, women were just love interests.
Women were often two-dimensional archetypes of womensimply hot, simply nerdy, simply dumb, etc.
Were not dismissing female-centric comedies before itmainlyLegally Blonde,Clueless, andFirst Wives Club.
Those films walked soMean Girlscould run.
Perhaps this is because in its title, the leading women are defined as wives.
Mean Girlsdelicately balances inappropriate jokes with the expectations of being a woman.
