Journal #10

Link to full movie: http://megashare.sc/watch-mean-girls-online-TVRZNQ

PSA: Mean Girls, Movie

The movie Mean Girls is a motion picture drama that was released in the year 2004. The film depicts a high school with a defined social scene where a new female student is forced into certain cliques. She experiences the judgments and prejudices of high school girls throughout the movie and is subjected to verbal and physical harassment. The film serves as an entertaining fictional depiction of high school life, but maintains a positive message against high school bullying. I encountered this film earlier this semester while watching it online.

The target audience of the film is young girls, specifically individuals who were victims of physical or mental bullying in junior high or high school. The film became extremely popular amongst teenagers and reached a wide audience of both genders.

The objectives of the film were to depict the ruthless nature of social bullying that occurs in schools across America and to offer solutions to bullying issues. The movie depicts several popular high school stereotypes or cliques and emphasizes that some are thought to be cooler than others. While it points these things out, the film satirically overplays the role of cliques in social life and makes light of the ridiculousness of social pressures. The film discusses the roles of social groups in schools and demonstrates that one has the ability to transcend their group or typical stereotypes.

The film does a tremendous job of integrating the positive message within the plot of the story. One does not feel as though the message is being forced to them and as the movie progresses, the viewer cannot help but sympathize with the victims of bullying. The film causes behavior change through entertainment education and does a tremendous job of embedding the message in the plot.

One question I would ask the director is how he measured the impact the film had on bullying in schools across America.

I thought this film was successful in creating change as it was extremely engaging and entertaining, but I took away a much greater message than simply enjoying it. After watching the film one cannot help but consider times in which they may have bullied others and how they can be better towards others.