JAWBREAKER

US, 1999, 18 five minutes, Colour.
Rose Mc Gowan, Rebecca Gayeheart, Julie Benz, Judy Greer, Chad Christ, Ethan Erickson, Tatyana Ali, Charlotte Ayanna, P.J. Soles, the Donnas, Marilyn Manson, Carol Kane, Pam Grier.
Directed by Darren Stein.

Jawbreaker was released in 1999, some years before the film which became the archetypal story of girls at school, Mean Girls. This is certainly in anticipation of those themes. And its climax takes us back to 1976, Carrie and the mockery of the girl on prom night.

There is quite some satire in this film, especially in the character of Courtney, played with great aplomb and some viciousness by Rose Mc Gowan. Rebecca Gayeheart and Julie Benz are her offsiders, being mean according to the patterns that Courtney sets. However, some come to their senses, others simply continuing adulation. Judy Greer has an early good role as the geeky girl who becomes Courtney’s target for transformation and, for some time, becomes more Courtney-like that Courtney herself.

Carol Kane is the teacher. Pam Grier is the detective.

There is certain malicious delight in watching Courtney and her manipulations – along with the hope that she will be finally exposed and humiliated. And she is. (It is interesting to note that this was the period in which Rose Mc Gowan experienced Harvey Weinstein and his harassment – her later documentary television features about women and harassment are in the line of her very strong screen presence in this film.)

1. A comedy for the teenage female audience? Satire? Serious implications?

2. The school setting, classrooms, corridors, cafeteria? Homes? The familiar small town world? The musical score? Songs and music of 1999?

3. The title, the credits, the confectionery, the making of the sweets, the Jawbreaker, hard? Its role in the plot, Elizabeth, the prank, taped into her mouth, her death?

4. The establishing of the four girls, dominating and the school, self-importance? Glamour? Turning 17? Their walking down the corridor? Self-confidence? Fern and her dropping her books? Their despising her? Her look in contrast?

5. The birthday, the prank, Courtney and the jawbreaker, the tape, carrying her out of the room, the friends helping, in the boot of the car? Finding her dead? Arranging the body? Being found?

6. Courtney has a leader, glamour, imperious? Domination of the other girls? Marcy and her subservience? Julie, eventually standing up for herself?

7. The situation, Courtney and the phone call from the mother, the principal and her reactions, to give the homework to Courtney, her forgetting, Fern doing the job? Fern arriving at the house, the girls talking, her overhearing? The threats? Courtney’s decision to transform Fern and have a hold over her? Transforming her from drab to glamorous? The effect on her? Joining the group? Being arrogant? Walking with them, the dining room? Clothes, hair?

8. Julie, change of heart, challenging Courtney? The discussions with Fern? The friendship with Zach? The truth, the discussions? Zach and his involvement? The theatre, their enrolling? Performance?

9. Courtney, continuing imperious, believing she had control? Dane as the boyfriend? Moving towards prom, to be king and queen?

10. The principal, the interviews, believing the girls? The visit of the detective? Her interrogations? Courtney and the spinning of the story, Elizabeth as promiscuous, a mysterious killer?

11. The presence of the parents? – More generally absent?

12. Exposure, people laughing at her, humiliation? Collaborating with Julie?

13. The problem, the principal and the announcements, the youngsters and the dancing, Courtney and Dane and their expectations? Zach and Julie finding the recording, Zach manipulating it?

14. The announcement of the king and queen? Courtney on stage? The microphone, the replaying of her words about the killing? Everybody turning on her? Pelting her? Her humiliation?

15. The satiric version of the familiar Mean Girls plot?