Josie and the Pussycats

I can't believe this movie was made in 2001. It seriously has a sense of humor that feels so modern. You can just picture the memes and gifs that would come from this nowadays.

Anyways, the plot is absurd, but pretty funny. The music is catchy. The characters are ridiculous and the villains are amazing. Only thing that holds this back from being a perfect movie is Tara Reid. They needed a smart actor to play someone so dumb, but, you know, it's just Tara Reid being Tara Reid..

I know that Josie and the Pussycats is a ridiculous adaptation of a silly comic strip. I know the jokes are dated and its look is firmly trapped in the 2000s. Despite all that, I enjoy watching this movie. It still makes me smile & laugh. I think the cast had a blast making this movie, and it shows. The songs are a lot of fun, too. It's not great cinema, but it's the kind of absurd amusement I need every now and then.

I never saw the original cartoon or read the comics on which it was based, but "Josie and the Pussycats" (2001) is fun and the three protagonists are attractive & enthusiastic (Rachael Leigh Cook, Tara Reid & Rosario Dawson). Yet the movie shoots for something deeper as this is an amusing and potent satire on the influence and manipulation of the entertainment industry.

Alan Cumming is outstanding as the villainous band manager who uses bands, abuses them and throws them away at whim. His opening scene with the fictional boyband Du Jour is worth the price of admission. Parker Posey is also good as his diabolical superior. Curvy and towering Missi Pyle is also on hand as Alexandra.

Ever wonder why all those musicians die in mysterious plane crashes, overdoses, etc. at the height of their fame? How about all those successful government cover-ups? How do artists with little actual talent and songwriting abilities become hugely popular, usually overnight, while the truly talented artists languish in obscurity? Why do you sometimes have this insane drive for a Big Mac or Coke? "Josie and the Pussycats" explains all, lol.

As for those who complain about the product placement, they all live on Aduh Street.

Unfortunately, the great set-up of the first hour sorta peters out in the last act. It's okay, just not up to the quality of the first two acts, as far as compelling writing goes.

The film runs 98 minutes.

GRADE: B

Do not go to this movie expecting anything that's logical or realistic. It is a purely fun film with a rocking soundtrack.

Viewers who would most appreciate this would be the ones who have at least a vague memory of the television cartoon series because there are a lot of jokes and references that might go over one's head otherwise--not to say that kids wouldn't enjoy it as well, because they will.

There's a lot going on in this film. So much happens so fast, but that is intentional. It is highly visual, and the style almost seems like a cross between Steven Soderbergh and Tim Burton, of course with a lot more pink and glitter. The images literally pop out at you at times. And while the plot is somewhat contrived, you might not mind too much because it speaks so clearly to our current culture.

The parody of Boy Bands and Pop-Star Girls is dead-on and that's why this is such a guilty pleasure. You can appreciate how they are made fun of and enjoy the characterizations at the same time. And all the performances are first rate--from the cameo performances by Breckin Myer and Seth Green as members of the Boy Band "Dujour", to leads Rachel Leigh Cook and Tara Reid as Josie and Melody, to the supporting players, particularly Alan Cumming and Parker Posey as the record executives. Also look for cameos by Carson Daly and Ken "Babyface" Edmonds.

Rosario Dawson as Valerie makes quite an impression. Her strong but anxious portrayal helps set up the classic conflict of female friendship vs. "diva-like" fame--a conflict we've seen played out over and over again in many VH-1 "Behind the Music" episodes.

All in all, this is a film you'll enjoy upon first viewing and maybe even more with repeated viewings. If anything, you'll be dancing out of the aisles as you head home.

When Du Jour, a top boy band go missing after an "unfortunate" plane accident, manager Wyatt Frame decides that the time is ripe for him to go and find "the next big thing" to sell to the teen market. He discovers a failing girl rock group in a small town and offers them a deal without hearing them. Within hours they have been styled and dressed by the label and are ready to cut their first record. Within a week they are number one, have screaming fans following them everywhere and have a strange desire to buy products that they had no previous interest in. However Josie starts to notice something strange about all of this and is soon asking more questions than the label would like her to.

I hope my description above gives you an idea of the silly sense of humour that runs throughout this film because, although it could have been a sharp satire, it isn't quite as insightful as it could have been. Mostly this is down to the material - the targets are so easy (hell, pop music is practically a parody of itself in some regards) it is never sharp although it is pretty on-target for the most part. It doesn't help that the tone of the whole thing is that of a silly teen comedy rather than a satire and perhaps it was the strange mix of things that confused me a little bit and put me off it. Despite this though I still quite enjoyed it; it was amiable enough, was quite self-aware and was pretty funny at points. I can understand why many were put off it and it doesn't break any new ground but it is still pretty enjoyable and it was nice to see a teen movie actually try to do more than just pander to its audience (well, not much anyway).

The actors involved give some clue that the material is up to something despite the weaknesses – Parker Posey doesn't just turn out for every teen comedy that is around you know! The three leads are all pretty good – delivering the silly mood but also being in on the joke and into it. Cook is probably the least fun of the three but she does well to carry the narrative. Reid is fun in a simple ditsy role that made me smile and Dawson is as gorgeous as ever while still delivering an enjoyable character. Cumming is a bit annoying and he adds to the silly mood with his overly daft performance. Posey is fun and somehow manages to be daft but still effective in the role. The support are mostly in on the joke and the star cameos send themselves up well – Carson Daley and Levy particularly. Biggest surprise was that I liked Missy Pyle – normally she is terrible but here she works.

Overall this is a strange mix of pop satire and teen movie. This produces a rather silly tone, which may put some off, not helped by the fact that the easy targets do rather take the edge off the material somewhat but for my money it was refreshing to see this try to do what it did. I enjoyed the humour and the fact that the cast were all into it and, although it is not a great movie I would certainly watch it again.