Josie and The Pussycats (2001)

Twenty-five years ago, this high-energy musical adaptation of the both the comic book and TV cartoon was released to much hype....and no one showed up. :( It was a sizeable flop at the box office but has since garned a devoted cult following as a result of its sharp satire and catchy soundtrack.  It's a seemingly simple story about three young ladies from the small town of Riverdale who are just trying to break out with their band, The Pussycats.   They include Josie (Rachael Leigh Cook), Melody (Tara Reid), and Valerie (Rosario Dawson) and one day, they are just toiling to pick up their next gig when they are suddenly discovered by a shady record producer Wyatt (Alan Cumming) who seems something special in them.  They are whisked off to New York City, signed to his label run by the ruthless Fiona (Parker Posey) and overnight, they become a pop sensation now named, "Josie and the Pussycats."  However, their success comes with some unexpected consquences and they soon find themselves embroiled in a massive conspiracy involving the delivery of subliminal messages through pop music. :o Directed by Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont (Can't Hardly Wait), this enduring cult hit also co-stars Gabriel Mann, Missi Pyle, and Carson Daly (!)....as you've NEVER seen him before!   

Host & Editor: Geoff Gershon
Producer: Marlene Gershon 

Transcript

JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS - 2001

Directed by Deborah Kaplan & Harry Elfont

Starring Rachel Leigh Cook, Rosario Dawson, Tara Reid, Alan Cumming, Parker Posey, Gabriel Mann, Paula Costanzo, Missi Pyle, Alexander Martin, Donald Faison, Seth Green, Breckin Meyer, Tom Butler, and Carson Daly

Genre: Satirical Musical Comedy(Audio clip)

Apparently this film is about to turn twenty-five though I didn’t actually see until about five years ago, seemed like a good watch with my daughters during COVID - all three of us enjoyed the hell out of it, it's WAY more satirical than I would have thought and the whole cast seems in on the joke. Yeah there are tons of dated gags involving MTV, TRL, VH1's Behind the Music...but most of them just land! 

The three leads all do relatively well: Rachel Leigh Cook is suitability charismatic as is Rosario Dawson and Tara Reid does a fine job...of playing Tara Reid - they each look great of course and have some winning chemistry, even during the concert scenes when it's readily apparent that they're actually not playing. (Reid sure bangs those drum sticks convincingly to kick off every set) Of the cast, it's Parker Posey and Alan Cumming who stick out the most, they just both hamming it up in the best way....it almost feels as they're channeling Sandra Bernhard and Richard E. Grant from Hudson Hawk which is actually a compliment and the only one you'll hear from me about that notorious '90's flop. ;) 

From a story perspective, they weren't exactly reinventing the wheel here and the satire could have probably gone even further – there’s a bit of a copout regarding a boy-band towards the end of the movie which wasn’t necessary THOUGH forgivable.  Regardless all around, this was just a good time and I can now see why it's garnered such a devoted cult following since 2001.  And where else you find a gonzo sequence featuring a homicidal Carson Daley with some genuinely dated references thrown in? (Audio clip) 

Best Needledrop (best song cue or score used throughout runtime of film): 

Also the soundtrack of songs from the 'Pussycats is just sickeningly catchy as well coming from a supergroup including Kay Hanley from Letters to Cleo and Jane Wieldin from The Go-Go's with Babyface producing...the late '90's into the early '2000's were mostly a wasteland of forgettable pop music but you wouldn't know it listening to a lot of this stuff. ;) (Audio clip) 

And THE standout among these songs is kind of obvious and omnipresent as I believe we hear it at LEAST three times, performed diegetically twice and also playing over the closing credits…..kind of this film’s version of “That Thing You Do” as it is also undeniably catchy power-pop.  From the band Josie & the Pussycats (for this movie), the song is the raucous anthem, “3 Small Words.” (Audio clip) 

Wasted Talent (most under-utilized talent involved with film): 

Oh yeah did I mention that this film had a CULT following?  Yup unfortunately when this film was released in the spring of 2001, it pretty much flopped…it grossed around $15 million worldwide on a budget which was estimated to be over $30 million, OUCH.  As to WHY it flopped so badly?? Well it’s tricky but competition certainly played a part – it opened in the wake of what was a surprise WOM blockbuster at the time, the first Spy Kids movie and if there was a female audience, it was also siphoned off by the wide release of Bridget Jones Diary which was the first adaptation of what was at the time a HUGE runaway best-selling novel.  But the real reason is that HONESTLY…..female-driven IP films like these are just difficult to market when you can’t categorize them into one easily digestible genre…..like an action film or a rom-com.  I mean the first Charlie’s Angels movie which came out a few months prior was a SMASH but that had an undeniable hook….watching hot women kick ass in the style of The Matrix. (Audio clip) 

This just didn’t have that and I’m sure some one could say “Well what about BARBIE??” Yes previous episode Barbie was an all-out phenomenon but sorry, that was based on MUCH bigger IP and even so, smash successes like that are just a fluke.  For every Barbie, there’s an Aeon Flux or a Gem & the Holograms or The Babysitters Club…lacking an obvious marketing hook, they’re just tough to get audiences to show up to in mass numbers.  I guess the expectation was that MAYBE the stars would be a draw – Rachel Leigh Cook was hot off of the surprise success of She’s All That just a couple of years prior and Tara Reid had been co-starring in the then-HUGELY successful American Pie franchise.  (Audio clip) 

Ugh talk about a franchise which hasn’t aged well….yes there are some big laughs in the first two but they’re mostly derived from Jim and his dad.  Regardless, this film DID eventually find a bigger audience via cable and DVD…also the soundtrack did very well…..and many even consider it KIND of prescient in how it pokes fun at modern pop music’s increasingly obvious linkage to blatant consumerism.  I mean, I’m not even a particular fan of Sabrina Carpenter – she SEEMS like a nice enough person mind you despite an aversion towards ever wearing pants, I’m referring to her music.  But wow last summer I just seemed to catch significant ear-worm any time I heard that “Manchild” song, couldn’t get it out of my head….and for some reason….it had me craving…DUNKIN? (Audio clip) 

Trailer Moment (scene or moment that best describes this movie):

Honestly I knew I was going to like this movie from just the first five minutes.  And this sequence doesn’t even feature the titular ‘Pussycats.  It actually focuses on an insufferable boy band called "Dujour" riffing with each other on their private plane sponsored by Target featuring two of the most punchable faces at the turn of the century - Breckin Meyer and Seth Green PLUS a post-Remember the Titans/Waiting to Exhale and PRE-Scrubs Donald Faison completely mugging it.  Their interactions are ridiculous but kind of biting, especially during this particular era of boy-bands.  It’s just a fun, high-energy way to take us into this satirical world and it had me cracking up from the get-go. :) (Audio clip) 

MVP (person or people most responsible for the success of this film):

Even with the cast firing on all cylinders, the true stars of this film at the end of the day are co-directors Harry Elfont and Deborah Kaplan who bring a infectious joy and whiz-bang energy to everything - the film just NEVER slows down, there's always a new visual gag around the corner or a catchy needle drop....SO much is mined from all of the constant meta-product placements that special mention has to go to production designer Jasna Stefanovic who keeps finding inventive places to place brands!  Like a head board with a giant "Revlon" plastered on it or an underwater aquarium with a giant Evian sign on the back wall.  Just LOADS of throw-away humor with fun characters and it ALL tops out at a breezy 98 minutes – honestly movies like this are much harder to pull off than they seem despite the fluffy tone, and for that reason Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont are your CO-MVP’s. (Audio clip) 

Final Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Yeah….unfortunately Kaplan and Elfont haven’t directed any feature films SINCE this though they have done some occasional TV and/or streaming stuff.  Still judging by this film, they definitely have some chops.  Happy 25th Anniversary to one of the most undeniably infectious satires of the 21st Century so far

Streaming on Prime Video

And that ends another TREND PIMP review!