The 2004 teen comedy Mean Girls has become such an iconic figurehead of the genre in the years since its release that it’s kind of impossible to watch any new teen comedy without comparing it to the gold standard that is Mean Girls. Every now and again you get a film come along that’s touted as being the next Mean Girls, but rarely does that statement actually ring true. However, I honestly believe that Do Revenge, directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson and produced by Netflix, could actually be Gen Z’s Mean Girls.
Popular high school socialite Drea (Camila Mendes) becomes a social outcast and is slut shamed for sharing an intimate video with her boyfriend Max (Austin Abrams) which become circulated online supposedly by a hacker. Over the summer whilst working at a tennis camp, Drea meets Eleanor (Maya Hawke), a new student as Drea’s school, and the two become friends when Eleanor helps Drea get revenge on one of her classmates.
When the new school year starts Drea finds that Max is now the school’s Valedictorian, and the head of the horticultural society, Carissa (Ava Capri), made up lies about Eleanor many years ago at summer camp which forced her to come out as a lesbian.
Together, Drea and Eleanor plot to do each other’s revenge on Max and Carissa. But as they both begin to realise, there’s a whole lot more to each of their stories than either is letting on.
Popular high school socialite Drea (Camila Mendes) becomes a social outcast and is slut shamed for sharing an intimate video with her boyfriend Max (Austin Abrams) which become circulated online supposedly by a hacker. Over the summer whilst working at a tennis camp, Drea meets Eleanor (Maya Hawke), a new student as Drea’s school, and the two become friends when Eleanor helps Drea get revenge on one of her classmates.
When the new school year starts Drea finds that Max is now the school’s Valedictorian, and the head of the horticultural society, Carissa (Ava Capri), made up lies about Eleanor many years ago at summer camp which forced her to come out as a lesbian.
Together, Drea and Eleanor plot to do each other’s revenge on Max and Carissa. But as they both begin to realise, there’s a whole lot more to each of their stories than either is letting on.
I had not even heard of Do Revenge until my girlfriend said she’d seen the trailer and thought it looked really good. So, I went in with zero expectations, somewhat anticipating a fun but rather hollow teen comedy. But Do Revenge really stands out as the best teen comedy I’ve seen since 2019’s Booksmart. What starts as a fairly simple Mean Girls clone (infiltrate a clique, befriend them and plot to stab them in the back but realise you actually kind of like being around them) rapidly escalates into something more akin to a conspiracy thriller with double crossings and back-stabbings coming out of nowhere. Everyone has an agenda, and everyone has reputation at stake, so everyone will do whatever they deem necessary to protect themselves…and it’s really rather good. I don’t want to spoil too much, but it really is a film that will repeatedly pull the rug out from under you, and nobody is who you think they are.
Maya Hawke really is the standout performer here, but after her stint in Stanger Things that came as no surprise to me. Eleanor starts out as this character you kind of pity, she’s had her identity kind of stolen from her because of some horrible girl who made up lies about her. But over the course of the film she transforms into something entirely different, and Hawke manages that transition beautifully. So much so that you continue to see her as this meek and damaged person, even when she’s put in a position to call the shots.
Mendes is really great too, but because Drea is such a narcissist it’s difficult to ever be completely on her side even when you know she’s the one who’s been wronged. For a leading character that’s a bit of a turn off, but Mendes makes up with it thanks to some amazing facial performances and comedic timing. Mendes is always battling for you to be on Drea’s side even when the writing seems to want to make you hate her, and whilst Mendes’ performance wins out overall it feels like a bitter pill to swallow at times when compared to Hawke’s comparatively sweet and naïve Eleanor.
Maya Hawke really is the standout performer here, but after her stint in Stanger Things that came as no surprise to me. Eleanor starts out as this character you kind of pity, she’s had her identity kind of stolen from her because of some horrible girl who made up lies about her. But over the course of the film she transforms into something entirely different, and Hawke manages that transition beautifully. So much so that you continue to see her as this meek and damaged person, even when she’s put in a position to call the shots.
Mendes is really great too, but because Drea is such a narcissist it’s difficult to ever be completely on her side even when you know she’s the one who’s been wronged. For a leading character that’s a bit of a turn off, but Mendes makes up with it thanks to some amazing facial performances and comedic timing. Mendes is always battling for you to be on Drea’s side even when the writing seems to want to make you hate her, and whilst Mendes’ performance wins out overall it feels like a bitter pill to swallow at times when compared to Hawke’s comparatively sweet and naïve Eleanor.
Do Revenge looks totally fabulous too. Lots of bright colours and a sun-soaked production. Everybody is gorgeous, and the costumes, whilst a little on the gaudy side at times do look stunning. Combine this with some slick editing and clean cinematography and Do Revenge is very easy on the eyes.
It also features a stellar soundtrack full of recent pop anthems and some old school classics that fit perfectly within the scenes they’re used. This is a Spotify playlist I would absolutely have on repeat if I were plotting revenge against my enemies and it gives the film so much oomph during its more climactic moments, exactly the way licensed music should be used.
Do Revenge is a hilarious and surprisingly thrilling teen comedy that you’d be crazy to miss out on if you’re a fan of the genre. It may not appeal to those who are tired of the petty troubles of entitled teenagers, but it may still be worth checking out for the good performances and some really fantastic plot twists that elevate this from your average teen comedy into something with considerably more bite. This is absolutely a film I can see myself watching again and again.
It also features a stellar soundtrack full of recent pop anthems and some old school classics that fit perfectly within the scenes they’re used. This is a Spotify playlist I would absolutely have on repeat if I were plotting revenge against my enemies and it gives the film so much oomph during its more climactic moments, exactly the way licensed music should be used.
Do Revenge is a hilarious and surprisingly thrilling teen comedy that you’d be crazy to miss out on if you’re a fan of the genre. It may not appeal to those who are tired of the petty troubles of entitled teenagers, but it may still be worth checking out for the good performances and some really fantastic plot twists that elevate this from your average teen comedy into something with considerably more bite. This is absolutely a film I can see myself watching again and again.