"Three Cool 'Cats'"
by Scott Mantz

"Josie and the Pussycats"
Rachael Leigh Cook,
Tara Reid, Rosario Dawson
Directed by Deborah Kaplan & Harry Elfont

Rock'n'roll to the rescue! Tara Reid, Rachael Leigh Cook, and Rosario Dawson are "Josie and the Pussycats"

"Josie and the Pussycats" are finally ready for their close-up, but the big question is, what the heck took so long? If anything, here's a movie that should have been made years ago. Not only are there three beautiful girls who wear tight leopard skin outfits and play music in a rock'n'roll band, but they also manage to save the world from the clutches of evil madmen. And let's not forget that catchy theme song ("Jo-sie, and the pus-sy-cats! Long-tails, and ears-for-hats!"). Well, the wait is finally over, and thanks to a funny script, clever (and somewhat surreal) direction, and one bitchin' soundtrack, "Josie and the Pussycats" fits the bill as one purr-fectly good time at the movies!

In a day where music is packaged and processed when it should be passionate and provocative, the Pussycats--Josie (Rachael Leigh Cook), Melody (Tara Reid), and Val (Rosario Dawson)--still dream of becoming rock stars. The problem is, they can't find anyone who will listen to their music. That changes when they come across Wyatt (Alan Cumming), a sleazy music producer who is looking for "the next big thing." He signs the Pussycats to his record label, and instead of clawing their way to the top, they literally become an overnight sensation. That success creates some competitive tension within the band, but even worse, the Pussycats don't realize that Wyatt is tampering with their music to corrupt the kids of America. Time is running out! Will Josie and the Pussycats single-handedly be responsible for the downfall of American culture, or will they shed all the excess baggage and keep on rockin' in the free world?

By not taking their subject matter too seriously, directors Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont have written a film that works on a number of levels. Let's face it--the source material wasn't anything to write home about, but like with big screen versions of "The Brady Bunch" and "Charlie's Angels," everyone is in on the joke. As a result, "Josie" is much better than it looks, and it stays on target by being fun, funny, and free-spirited.

It's also an incredibly well-timed film that takes full advantage of everything from the current boy band craze to the popularity of TV's ultimate guilty pleasure, "Behind the Music." But it doesn't stop there. The film is also laced with tons of not-so-subliminal messages (about everything from McDonalds to MTV to Motorola) that poke fun at America's obsession with instant fame and corporate tie-ins. Actually, by making these "messages" part of the story, the filmmakers probably secured enough financing through product placement to cover the entire budget of the film.

As for the pussycats themselves, me-wow! You couldn't have asked for a better cast. Rachael Leigh Cook uses her doe-eyed innocence to give Josie a strong backbone and intelligence, while Rosario Dawson plays Val as the level-headed kitty who's more concerned about friendship than scoring #1 hits. Tara Reid steals the show as Melody, the ditsy, dim-witted sweetheart whose lack of intelligence only adds to her endearing (and downright sexy) charm, while Alan Cumming and Parker Posey are obviously having a blast as the evil music executives who want to take over the world (then again, don't they all?).

Other than the basic premise, "Josie and the Pussycats" has very little in common with the classic cartoon series that inspired it. For example, fans of that pesky, conniving feline Sebastian will be disappointed--he's nowhere to be found. Also, even though Alan (as played by James Spader lookalike Gabriel Mann) still has the hots for Josie, his slim and sensitive musician is nothing like the bulky pillar of strength that he's depicted as in the cartoon. As for the perpetually pissed-off Alexandra (Missi Pyle, who played one of the heroic aliens in 1999's "Galaxy Quest"), don't worry--she's still around (and as for what she's doing here, her answer is a classic!).

Ok, so the movie can be silly at times (especially towards the end), but what did you expect? The bottom line is this: "Josie and the Pussycats" blends elements of "That Thing You Do," "Spice World," and "Charlie's Angels" to end up as a pleasant surprise (and the music is pretty good, too!). The film is obviously geared towards the MTV generation, but it's still sharp and funny enough for adults to enjoy it as well. And if it turns out to be a box office hit, then the sequel is a no-brainer--"Josie and the Pussycats in Outer Space."

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