The Petri Dish Approach

The Petri dish approach is a common theme in coming-of-age movies, where characters are forced to interact closely and change as a result. Three popular films that showcase this approach are Clueless, Mean Girls, and Easy A. In Clueless, the director uses camera techniques to highlight the contrast between the wealthy and non-wealthy characters. Mean Girls uses visual storytelling to depict high school as a jungle, with different cliques competing for dominance. Easy A shows how a false rumor spreads in a small town, affecting the main character's social interactions. Each of these films explores the journey of self-discovery and the importance of being true to oneself. Have there ever been a time where you wanted to be someone else? I'm going to take a wild guess and say more likely than not. Hello, and welcome to the Nostalgic Film Podcast, where I, your host, Laura Boak-Panney, take a look back at the films that made up not only mine, but many of your childhoods. For this episode, I wanted to look into movies with a common coming-of-age theme, that being the Petri dish approach. According to John Butcher, a writer who has worked with companies like HBO, DC Comics, and A24, the definition of this approach is, when a group of characters are put in close proximity, often at high school, and change as a result of their awkward fumbling when they quote-unquote bump into each other. This approach requires conflict that results from the forced closeness that the characters share. The Petri dish approach was seen a lot in the early 2000s and 2010s, and is even still being used today in movies like The Duff from 2015 and He's All That from 2021, but today I wanted to talk about three very popular movies in particular that I feel best showcase this approach, those being the 1995 film Clueless, directed by Amy Heckerling, the 2010 film Easy A, directed by Will Gluck, and the 2004 film Mean Girls, directed by Mark Waters. I wanted to look at these three movies because of how popular and iconic they are. Even in the year of 2024, these movies are constantly referenced in people's day-to-day lives, as well as in other movies, some even having Broadway shows based off of them. The Petri dish approach is the quintessential coming-of-age trope, as it takes the characters and the audience on a journey of figuring out that they are happier when they are themselves. Let's start with the 1995 film Clueless, directed by Amy Heckerling. Heckerling is an American director, screenwriter, and producer. She's known for her insightful and comedic depictions of the themes of social dynamics and finding one's true identity. In Clueless, Amy Heckerling is able to use mise-en-scene and impeccable camera placement and movement to look at the contrast between the wealthy and non-wealthy. In the film, the main character Cher and her friends all come from wealthy families, evidenced through their expensive cars, giant houses, and incredible wardrobe technology. I mean, her computer literally picks her outfits. To really force the audience to see this wealth, the camera often lingers on these expensive surroundings, and the characters' stylish designer outfits underscoring their privileged social standing. It also often lingers on the beauty of their clearly expensive school, especially considering they live in the extremely wealthy Beverly Hills, California. When Ty is introduced, a newcomer from Milwaukee, the visual cues shift to signify her non-wealthy background. Ty's casual baggy pants, loose-fitting shirts, jackets, and naturally messy curly hair stand in stark contrast to the polished appearances of Cher and her friends, instantly marking her as an outsider in their social system. The film also explores the divide between traditional feminine ideals and a more individualistic approach to self-acceptression. Initially, Cher embodies the stereotypical quote-unquote traditional woman, obsessing over makeovers, fashion choices, and developing a specific image, while Ty appears relatively unconcerned with such superficial things, favoring comfort over high-maintenance appearances. However, as the narrative progresses, Ty's transformation begins to mirror Cher's aesthetic, but this is mostly in just appearance, as she's ultimately able to retain her unique sense of self, rejecting the more harmful aspects of Cher's worldview, such as shaming others for their appearances. This, in turn, prompts Cher to engage in a self-reflection, allowing the two characters to influence and learn from each other's perspectives on identity and societal expectations. The next movie I want to talk about is the 2004 film Mean Girls, directed by Mark Waters. Waters is a director and producer who is most known for his comedic, teen-oriented films that frequently explore themes of personal growth, relationships, and self-discovery. Throughout Mean Girls, Mark Waters is able to use camera angles and sound effects, slash music, to show the high school social dynamic. In the movie, the main character, Katie, just moved to the U.S. from Africa, where she lived all her life, and is forced to deal with the different social dynamics of an American high school. She quickly becomes entangled with the school's most popular clique, known as the Plastics, led by Regina George, Gretchen Wieners, and Karen Smith. Waters uses visual storytelling techniques to emphasize the social divide within the school. The quick shots of the different cliques in the lunchroom showcases the distinct groups of students, like different species, which highlights Katie's initial observation of the social structure, resembling the things she knows best, the animal kingdom. This imagery shows Katie's perception of high school as a jungle, where various cliques compete for dominance and social hierarchy. The animalistic imagery reaches its peak during the school-wide fight scene. During the scene, the brawl is depicted as a chaotic animal fight, further shown through the animal noises and safari-like music. Also during the scene, the camera pans over the entire student body as a way to further show the animalistic nature of the fight. The final film I want to talk about is the 2010 film Easy A, directed by Will Gluck. Gluck is an American director, screenwriter, and producer known for his work in comedies and romantic comedies, which often revolve around themes of love, friendship, and self-discovery. In the film, Olive, the main character, finds herself in the spotlight after a false rumor spreads throughout her small-town high school claiming she lost her virginity. Due to the small nature of her town, the rumor easily gains traction and affects Olive's social interactions and perceptions among her peers. The film's Nissan scene and camera shots are perfectly able to show the small nature of her town. The setting of the film primarily revolves around the high school and local house parties, showing the close-knit and somewhat claustrophobic nature of Olive's community. The limited setting emphasizes how news and gossip can easily spread within a small-town environment, amplifying its impact on individuals like Olive. Olive's response to the rumor is visually represented through a change in wardrobe, adopting more attention-grabbing outfits like corsets and lace. This shift symbolizes her acceptance of the false narrative surrounding her, as she embraces the newfound attention and challenges the societal norms of her high school and small town. The steady shot of Olive confidently walking through a crowd of students upon returning to school signifies her defiance against judgment and her growing self-assuredness in navigating her changed reputation. The Petri dish approach is the quintessential coming-of-age trope, allowing the characters and audiences to see the road it takes to figuring out that being true to yourself is what brings genuine happiness. Each of these films, while being different with how they approach it, perfectly capture this trope. Clueless's use of mise-en-scene and camera placement are perfectly able to show the divide between the wealthy and the non-wealthy. Mean Girls' use of camera placement and sound slash musical score does a great job of showing Katie's view of the animalistic nature of the high school. Easy A's use of mise-en-scene and steady camera shots show how easily the rumor is spread in the small town, and the new personality slash confidence that Olive takes on because of it. As Lelesh Nand perfectly states, the different camera angles exhibit characters' feelings, emotions, and thoughts. These films expertly leverage cinematic techniques to convey the intricate emotional journeys of their protagonists as they navigate the complexities of self-discovery and societal pressures. Each film immerses its audiences into each of their stories and teaches them that being yourself is the best option.