2 stars (out of 4)

Released 2011

Charlize Theron stars as Mavis, a former high school mean-girl who goes back to her hometown with the misguided plan to “free” her high-school flame from his current wife and baby.

The film presents Mavis as the ultimate loser in her adult life – ashamed of her job as a ghost-writer, divorced, lacking real friends, slovenly, emotionally immature, and yet still wanting everyone to be envious of her.  It also sets her up as an object of ridicule, instead of trying to explain or explore why she turned out this way.  Even her parents are presented as nice people who are taken aback and saddened by her bad behaviour.

The whole film felt like rather gratuitous wish-fulfillment made for (and by?) people wanting revenge on their high school tormentors.