By Haley McNulty – Entertainment Editor

“Let’s talk about labels. The classics still exist:  jock, geek, rocker, mean girl. But what I didn’t know was that I had a brand new label.”

That line is the theme of the new teen comedy “Duff.” Suddenly aware of the social hierarchy in her high school, Bianca, a senior, embarks on a revolution to change everything.

Content with her life, Bianca is seemingly oblivious to what is happening around her – a social trend in cliques called the “Duff.” Duff stands for “Designated Ugly Fat Friend,” though they do not necessarily need to be ugly nor fat. The duff of a clique is essentially the less popular, more approachable member of a clique that is used to become friends with the real clique members.  As Bianca says in the movie, “You either know one, have one, or you are one.”

At a party hosted by popular “mean girl” Madison and Bianca’s two best friends, Jess and Casey, Bianca is told from her old friend Wes that she, in fact, is the duff.

Insulted but not surprised, Bianca unfollows and de-friends Jess and Casey on all social media sites, choosing to end her friendship with the two after the devastating betrayal.

Bianca asks for help from her popular, jock neighbor Wesley, and sets out to defy all labels in her high school. She embraces a whole new makeover with his help, including new clothes and a new attitude. ­­After seeing Bianca and her ex, Wesley, grow in friendship, Bianca’s classmate Madison sets out to destroy Bianca. She releases embarrassing videos of Bianca, but instead of feeling defeated, Bianca only grows in determination to end social standards.

Humor-filled and extremely entertaining, “The Duff” is a movie that could very well be the new, modern “Mean Girls.” The movie is an inspiring tale in which Bianca shows the viewer how to stand up to injustices while staying true to themselves. “The Duff” is dramatic, witty, remarkably relatable, and self-empowering and accurately describes the high school social “government” – and how it must be reformed.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars