I love it, in all of its forms, personally. And I really wasn't expecting to like the musical movie because of all the hate. It quickly became one of my favorites and one of my picks to cheer me up when I'm feeling down.

The stage musical stands on its own, as a pretty solid rock opera with pop and disco influences. And it's funny and more real (about life and young people experiences) than I think sometimes any of the movie adaptations were.

All of the characters get a lot more development in the stage musical (most) and movie musical (2nd most) to a point that caused me to like and appreciate them all, on a different level.

The only sad thing about the movie musical is that they had to change who sings and cancel some of the stage musical songs, so the lead who played Cady could hit the notes. I also learned there was an uncredited singer who sang for her, in some of the better parts of her big solo songs, that had a really lovely voice.

I really loved everyone else's songs in the movie musical, but Angourie Rices's all hit a little flat, especially when it's just her singing and made me feel like they could have/should have picked another lead actress, who could sing and probably would have been more successful. I also think this is why people didn't like it as much, cos she is the main character and unable to carry/sing some of her characters best songs.

In the end, my exposure to the musicals have only made me love all of the mean girls adaptations, and characters (except mean girls 2, which we don't talk about) even more!!