Review: Josie and the Pussycats

#130 - Josie and the Pussycats

Josie and the Pussycats is a live-action adaptation of the comic of the same name. It surrounds Josie and her band on their way to the top of the rock and roll charts. They have to find a way to stick together as an evil record label tries to tear them apart.

I am so absolutely in love with this movie. It is definitely one of those films that is an acquired taste because if you don't understand the message and irony of the story line, then you might find it all to be really stupid; however, I understand that the film is making fun of itself (and pop culture), so I find it all to be quite genius actually. The record label, Mega Records, is brain-washing teenagers by putting subliminal messages in pop music. There is an overload of brand names in the film because the record label is selling these brands to the kids through the songs.

I first saw this film when it originally released back in 2001. This was at the height of the boy band craze, so I immediately fell in love with Dujour, the fictional boy band created for the film - consisting of two of my favorite actors EVER: Breckin Meyer and Seth Green. I could immediately identify with this film because of the absolute fan frenzy that happens as a result of these songs being released. I realize, now that I'm an adult watching this, that the idea of subliminal messaging in pop culture was something that has paranoid me for the last 13 years...because of this movie! I mean, what if it is real? This film brought that question into my mind, and it's never left. It's ridiculous, but not unheard of...otherwise they wouldn't have created an entire story about it, right?

Anyway, so back to Dujour. I know it was a made up band, but the tune was so catchy, it has never left my head. I mean, honestly, it's 13 years later, and I know every word to "Backdoor Lover." There's something wrong with me.

I think the creation of this band was hilarious. Especially with the actors chosen to play the roles. It's just all so perfect.

Then you get to Josie and the Pussycats. Rachael Leigh Cook, Rosario Dawson, and Tara Reid were three pretty well-known actresses in the early 00s, so to cast them in these roles was a perfect move as well. If you want to show that pop culture is ruling the world, then throw some big pop icons into the lead roles. Just the more and more I dissect this film, the more genius it becomes. On the surface, it seems really dumb, and to your every day, average person, they wouldn't even pick up the film to watch; however, I urge everyone who hasn't seen this film to watch it. It's hilarious, and it really does get you thinking about the media industry.


Overall, I give Josie and the Pussycats 3.5 out of 5 stars. It IS a cheesy film, so that's why it doesn't score higher for me. However, because of it's incredible(ness) I have to still score it pretty decent.