Josie and the Pussycats (Rachel Leigh Cook, Tara Reid and Rosario Dawson) are hired by a big Record Label to become a great success. Josie realizes that their CDs have a subliminal message, forcing the youths to consume many products. A very silly movie, used for merchandising of many trademarks. There are some funny situations that could be improved, but it is not worthwhile watching this great advertisement. My vote is four.
Title (Brazil): `Josie e as Gatinhas' (`Josie and The Pussycats')
Josie and the Pussycats
2001
Action / Comedy / Music
Josie and the Pussycats
2001
Action / Comedy / Music
Plot summary
For years, the record industries have inserted subliminal messages into music so that they can turn teenagers into brain dead zombies who do nothing but buy, buy, buy. And whenever the musician or band finds out the truth, the record company silences them to keep the truth from coming out. When the hot boy band DuJour discovers this, their manager, Wyatt Frame, under his evil, corrupt boss, Fiona, has the plane they are flying in crashed and him looking for a new band to use for their evil schemes. Enter Josie, the ditsy Melody, and the tough Valerie, from Josie and the Pussycats, a small band who wants to make it to the big time. When they are discovered by Wyatt, they give in and become big rock stars. But will they find out that they are just pawns for the record industry or will fame take them over?
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
Director
Top cast
Tech specs
720p.BLU 1080p.BLU 720p.WEB 1080p.WEBMovie Reviews
Silly Merchandising
Bubblegum for brains...
Based on the comic-book characters first introduced in the "Archies" series, Josie, Val and Melody are three rockin' small town girls who want to taste big-time success on the pop charts; enter a nefarious (and comically ridiculous) talent scout named Wyatt Frame and soon the Pussycats are on their way. Watching this live-action version of the early-'70s animated Saturday morning TV series from Hanna-Barbera, I couldn't help wondering whether screenwriters Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont even saw the show or perhaps held it in such disdain that they avoided it completely. Their script is (more or less) a satirical comment on the teen-oriented pop music craze of 2001 (with "intentionally funny" product placements); however, the TV-counterpart was about the personalities involved, which in turn made the band's adventures on the road more engaging. This "Josie and The Pussycats" is trendy and fluffball-friendly (it really wowed them over at the Teen Choice Awards),with villains--the overacting Alan Cumming and Parker Posey--coming off like leftovers from "Hudson Hawk". True, Hanna-Barbera's version wasn't exactly wicked with wit, either, but at least it moved. Kaplan and Elfont, who also co-directed, can't get their picture off the ground, and many viewers won't make it through the final 15 minutes, which is torturous. *1/2 from ****
enjoyable fun
This is a parody of the music business based on the comic books. Evil record label Wyatt Frame (Alan Cumming) and Fiona (Parker Posey) are putting subliminal commercial messages in with the music of boy band DuJour. When the guys find out, Wyatt literally dumps them in mid air. He quickly signs Josie and the Pussycats (Rachael Leigh Cook, Rosario Dawson, Tara Reid) to replace the lost boy band.
The three girls have great chemistry. Rachael Leigh Cook is crazy cute. Rosario Dawson is the edgy sexpot. Tara Reid is the ditzy airhead. Alan Cumming is great as the villain with a wink and a nod. Add to it, they have a couple of catchy tunes. And the movie is actually sending a message... not so subliminally.
The boyfriend could be less bland. And quite frankly, writer/director team Deborah Kaplan/Harry Elfont could have pushed the comedy more. It's already wacky in tone. They just needed more jokes.