Mean Girls [Blu-Ray]

Given the choice between being surrounded by a pack of wild animals or a pack of teenage girls, I'm not sure which I would choose. On the one hand, the animals would surely rip me to shreds before devouring my body. On the other, teenage girls are a crafty, sneaky bunch and the long-term psychological scarring that I would inevitably suffer at their hands might be a far worse fate than being ripped apart and devoured. The reality is that these two groups are not that dissimilar — the most distinguishing difference between the two being the girls' claws are merely metaphorical. Dangerous as it all sounds, it is also hilarious when dissected by the observant and witty Tina Fey, in her sharp yet sympathetic screenplay for Mean Girls, a comedy about the principals of the animal kingdom and how they apply within the confines of a public high school. (Fey also plays math teacher Ms. Norbury.) Mean Girls may not have been known for its visual depth as much as its comedic profundity but it is now available in Blu-Ray and it looks as good as it did back in the day, but there is very little reason to upgrade if you already have this cult classic on DVD. There are no new extras but if you don't already own it, you get a feature-length commentary with the fabulous Fey. Her sense of humour has been more finely honed in recent years with the brilliant 30 Rock but going back to her humble beginnings shows us just how much promise she had even then. Innocent yet pointed performances, backed by a telling script, make Mean Girls authentically funny and enjoyable by opening the eyes of its target audience to the damage they do when they behave like animals. And for those of us who have survived those awkward years, we can look back, laugh and be thankful we made it out with only a few scratches.