| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Rachael Leigh Cook | ... | ||
| Rosario Dawson | ... | ||
| Tara Reid | ... | ||
| Gabriel Mann | ... | ||
| Paulo Costanzo | ... | ||
| Missi Pyle | ... | ||
| Alan Cumming | ... | ||
| Parker Posey | ... | ||
| Tom Butler | ... | ||
| Carson Daly | ... | ||
| Aries Spears | ... |
The Other Carson Daly
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| Alexander Martin | ... |
Les
(as Alex Martin)
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Faedragh Carpenter | ... |
Teenage Fan
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| Justin Chatwin | ... |
Teenage Fan
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Marites Pineda | ... |
Teenage Fan
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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? Written by Will
I got a chance to see a sneak preview of Josie & the Pussycats this past week. I really didn't have many expectations for this film...all I was looking for was a fun movie that wouldn't make me cringe (too much.) Well, without hesitation I can say this movie totally blew me away. It was by far one of the funniest movies I've seen in a LONG time. Sure, it was campy, but it garnered genuine and consistent laughs from the audience. It's been a long time since I've seen a movie with such energy and well-balanced pacing.
All three actresses were fantastic as the Pussycats, staying very true to their comic book/tv characters. Rachel Leigh Cook was an excellent choice for Josie...she adds a poignancy to the role that was completely unexpected. As you can imagine, there is the usual romantic subplot, but Cook gives it an honesty and sweetness that saved it from becoming a cliche. Rosario Dawson also did a wonderful job of humanizing Val, portraying her as a strong yet insecure woman. Tara Reid had the hardest part of all. How do you portray a ditzy character so that it doesn't degenerate into a one-note gag? Answer: Make the character endearing. Reid did a wonderful job at making Melody's sappy optimism and absent-mindedness absolutely adorable. In less capable hands, some of the gags would have fallen flat...but they got me smiling, and even laughing.
The soundtrack utterly rocks...the last teen movie I can think of with a soundtrack that was so well matched to the visuals was "Clueless." Songs that could have been just filler really added to the overall energy and appeal of the film. The music style was more "hard rock" than the original TV series, but they managed to get the theme song in there somewhere, so I was happy. :) At the screening I went to, people actually danced in the aisles during the end credits...not something I see every day. ^_^
The script is phenomenal, filled with many in-jokes and great timely references. What's most amazing is that Josie & the Pussycats is a movie with something to say, yet it got its message across in a witty and entertaining way while avoiding being too preachy.
I can honestly say Josie & The Pussycats is one of the best TV-to-Film adaptations I've ever seen--very enjoyable for fans of the old series, but remaining accessible for those who weren't.