From the trailer alone, Jem and the Holograms looked like it was going to be insufferable. Based on the popular cartoon from the "˜80s, it was quick to gain critics as it was immediately apparent that the film would be very loosely based on the cartoons and reimagined for the digital-obsessed youth of today. All that said, while Jem and the Holograms is certainly no award-winner, it ends up being a silly, bubble-gum-fun time if you just let yourself enjoy it.
The movie's heroine is Jerrica (Audrey Peeples), a shy teenager raised by her aunt Bailey (Molly Ringwald) along with her sister Kimber (Stefanie Scott) and her two foster sisters Shana (Aurora Perrineau) and Aja (Hayley Kiyoko) in a nondescript town in California. Coincidentally, they all just happen to be musically talented. When Kimber uploads a video of Jerrica singing (in disguise as a spur-of-the-moment character named Jem), it quickly goes viral and catches the attention of Erica Raymond (Juliette Lewis), the head of big label Starlight Music. Erica whisks Jerrica and her sisters off to Los Angeles to undergo transformations and become stars.
Truly, there's no need to explain the plot. You know it already if you've seen any kind of Hollywood movie about a small town girl hitting it big and dealing with the complications of fame. Erica has a cute college-age son named Rio (Ryan Guzman) who's tasked with watching over the girls. It's clear, as the only hunk in sight, that he's destined to be the love interest for Jerrica. There's also a small, cutesy robot named Synergy and amusing cameos from Alicia Keys, Jimmy Fallon, Chris Pratt and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Hey, who can blame a celeb for taking some easy money?
The script is laughably bad, full of clichéd lines and tired tropes. At the same time, that's kind of what makes this movie fun. You know what you're going to get. The concert scenes are manufactured but entertaining. Casting Molly Ringwald, an "˜80s icon, as the mother figure of a band based on "˜80s cartoon characters is genius. The girls even raid her closet to come up with some outrageous "˜80s outfits. Enjoy watching Lewis play the mom to Guzan, who in reality are 14 years apart. And honestly, who doesn't enjoy a good makeover montage?
The movie is firmly entrenched in our digital culture. Google Earth is used to show location changes and YouTube plays a key role. Selfies, Twitter and Instagram are woven throughout as nonchalantly as teenagers use them. The movie includes homemade clips of strangers performing songs, professing their love for Jem and providing background soundtrack. It's an interesting concept that generally works and is an easy and natural way to involve fans. I would imagine those chosen to be included in the film are pretty psyched to have their face on the silver screen.
These videos drove home the film's message to be yourself and put yourself out there. Above all else, Jem and the Holograms is about self-empowerment and the importance of friendship. Sure, those are clichés, but clichés for a reason. And perhaps for the teenagers of today, a message they need to hear.
