The opening scene, featuring Rodrigo being recorded for a cheer team tryout, is a nod to this Japanese horror film.

Rodrigo has stated that the video was intended to express "feminine rage," a theme she felt was underrepresented in media.

The track marked a departure from her previous melancholic ballads like "drivers license," establishing her as a versatile artist capable of alternative pop and punk-rock sounds.

The video's climax and final shot—where Rodrigo swims in a lake and stares at the camera with glowing red eyes—is a direct homage to this Megan Fox cult classic.

The video is widely noted for its numerous references to classic horror and teen films from the late 1990s and early 2000s:

Watch these videos to see the visual references and behind-the-scenes breakdown of the music video: Olivia Rodrigo - good 4 u (Official Video) YouTube · OliviaRodrigoVEVO