"Oh my God, I'm a trend pimp!" cries rocker Josie McCoy (Rachel Leigh Cook) when she discovers that she and her best friends Melody (Tara Reid) and Val (Rosario Dawson)--collectively known as the Pussycats--have been recruited in a plot to brainwash America's youth into a frenzy of mindless consumerism. Unbeknownst to the Pussycats, subliminal messages in their chart-topping hit "Pretend to Be Nice" are forcing kids to follow the latest prefab trends as if their lives depended on it. Josie's going to be the Next Big Thing, and to her manager (Alan Cumming) and Megarecords mogul Fiona (Parker Posey), the other Pussycats are expendable baggage in their scheme to dictate the cool quotient of teenagers everywhere.
Shrewdly concocted by codirectors Harry Elfont and Deborah Kaplan, this wildly comedic update of the Archie comic book (and early-'70s cartoon show) is a deliriously entertaining assault on pop-cultural flotsam, with a disposable boy-band (aptly named "Du Jour") and cross-product marketing ploys that perpetuate blind conformity among gullible teens. Blatant product placements dominate virtually every colorful scene as Josie gamely embraces the cultural blight it claims to criticize, but this isn't Hollywood hypocrisy. Elfont and Kaplan willfully bite the hand that feeds them, and they're having loads of fun while advocating independent opinion. Cook and her pals are more honestly sexy than Britney Spears, and they make genuinely catchy music (although Cook's vocals were dubbed). It's pure fluff, but Josie and the Pussycats was conceived in such high spirits that it's hard to imagine how it could be improved. Even the obligatory end-credit outtakes are utterly irresistible. --Jeff Shannon
2.
Josie (Rachel Leigh Cook), Melody (Tara Reid), and Val (Rosario Dawson) are the Pussycats, a struggling rock band hoping for success in the fast-paced music world. Their dreams seem to be coming true when a record producer (Alan Cumming) suddenly signs them up to become the newest number one band in the country, without even listening to their music. Before they can think twice, the girls are made over, given glamorous clothing, and besieged by hordes of trend-worshipping fans, but soon Josie and the gang begin to realize that their music is part of an evil scheme run by MegaRecords executive Fiona (Parker Posey) to control the world by planting subliminal messages in the music of prepackaged, manufactured pop groups. When the Pussycats learn the truth, Fiona will do anything to keep them from getting in the way of her ultimate plan. JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS roars into the new millennium with a dead-on satire of the modern culture of pop music and merchandising (including the fictional group Du Jour, an hilarious parody of boy bands). Simultaneously, JOSIE presents a trio of bubbly but tough female heroes who sound as good as they look, with songs produced by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds. The film is a live action interpretation of the comic book from Archie Comics that became a popular animated television series in the 1980s.
3.
Josie (Rachael Leigh Cook), Melody (Tara Reid) and Val (Rosario Dawson) are life-long friends from Riverdale determined to take their band out of the garage and into the stratosphere — while staying true to their own look, style and sound.
Their look's not trendy, and they don't care. Neither is their sound, but they mean every word they sing. And when nobody shows up at their gigs, they understand that real musicians have to pay their dues. Unfortunately, the Pussycats live in a glitz-obsessed world where trends change every week, and labels, status symbols and brand names rule.
Then one day everything changes. Josie and the Pussycats are "discovered" by hot-shot manager Wyatt Frame (Alan Gumming) who presents them to MegaRecords CEO Fiona (Parker Posey) as the next big thing. Fiona lives for the next big thing and instantly positions Josie and the Pussycats for success beyond their wildest dreams.
Within days, they have the number one single in the country, everyone is wearing cat ears, and they are swarmed when they walk the city streets. They look amazing, and their calendars are filled with recording sessions, photo shoots, MTV tapings, concerts and parties.
But they soon learn that all is not what it seems. Fiona and Wyatt have devised a high- tech scheme to control the youth of America through subliminal messages in songs — their songs. When the girls begin to grasp this, ruthless Fiona and Wyatt prepare to divide and conquer — make Josie a star and put the other Pussycats "to sleep'
Meowch! This is serious. Melody's and Val's lives are in danger, along with the minds of every kid in the world who loves music. It's time for Josie and the Pussycats to bare their claws and fight back.
4.
Hot newcomers Josie (Rachel Leigh Cook), Melody (Tara Reid) and Val (Rosario Dawson) are three small-town musicians with big dreams but little future. Then fate gives the Pussycats the chance of a lifetime when band manager Wyatt (Alan Cumming) of MegaRecords signs them overnight to an awesome recording contract. Suddenly, Josie and the Pussycats are living life in the fast lane with sold-out concerts, a number one single and global stardom. But it's not all limousines and private jets. The Pussycats soon discover they're being played like pawns in an evil plot by the record label's maniacal CEO Fiona (Parker Posey) to control the youth of America.
5.
Shrewdly concocted by codirectors Harry Elfont and Deborah Kaplan, Josie and the Pussycats is a wildly comedic update of the Archie comic book (and early 1970s cartoon show). "Oh my God, I'm a trend pimp!" cries rocker Josie McCoy (Rachel Leigh Cook) when she discovers that she and her best friends Melody (Tara Reid) and Val (Rosario Dawson)--collectively known as the Pussycats--have been recruited in a plot to brainwash America's youth into a frenzy of mindless consumerism. Unbeknown to the Pussycats, subliminal messages in their chart-topping hit "Pretend to Be Nice" are forcing kids to follow the latest prefab trends as if their lives depended on it. Josie's going to be the "Next Big Thing", and to her manager (Alan Cumming) and Megarecords mogul Fiona (Parker Posey), the other Pussycats are expendable baggage in their scheme to dictate the cool quotient of teenagers everywhere. Blatant product placements dominate virtually every colourful scene as Josie and the Pussycats gamely embraces the cultural blight it claims to criticise, but this isn't Hollywood hypocrisy. In this deliriously entertaining assault on pop-cultural flotsam, with its disposable boy-band (aptly named "Du Jour") and cross-product marketing ploys that perpetuate blind conformity among gullible teens, Elfont and Kaplan wilfully bite the hand that feeds them, and they're having loads of fun while advocating independent opinion. Cook and her pals are more honestly sexy than Britney Spears, and they make genuinely catchy music (although Cook's vocals were dubbed). It's pure fluff, but Josie and the Pussycats was conceived in such high spirits that it's hard to imagine how it could be improved. Even the obligatory end-credit outtakes are utterly irresistible. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com
On the DVD: Some nicely designed and colourful menus lead you to the extras. The obligatory "Behind the Scenes" is a lot more than just an extended promo with footage of the Pussycats learning their instruments and playing them live on stage. Strangely enough though, there's not one mention throughout of the characters' comic book and cartoon origins. There are a few pointless deleted scenes and the usual production notes plus the video for Josie and the Pussycats' single "Three Small Words" (good enough to play on MTV!) and two hilarious music videos from the movie's fictitious boy band DuJour. --Jon Weir
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