Jem and the Holograms Movie Review

Reviewed by Lynn Barker on Oct 23, 2015

Rating:

In Jem and the Holograms, a shy singer/songwriter follows the path to fame only to learn that family and friends can’t be left behind. Check out Kidzworld’s movie review.

By: Lynn Barker

In Jem and the Holograms, Jerrica, a talented singer/songwriter, is too shy to post her song on the net. When her sis does it for her, dreams come true…but they have a darker side.

At home before fame hitsCourtesy of Universal

Family Stuff

After their inventor dad died ten years ago, young Jerrica (Aubrey Peeples) and younger sis Kimber (Stefanie Scott) went to live with their Aunt Bailey (‘80’s icon Molly Ringwald) and her two foster teens Shana (Aurora Perrineau) and Aja (Hayley Kiyoko). There are the usual mild girlfights in the family but they usually end in a song.

Leaving homeCourtesy of Universal

Launching a Dream

When it looks like money troubles might lose the girls their home, shy singer/songwriter Jerrica makes a video for YouTube but, with little self-confidence, she thinks she deletes it. It’s found by sis Kimber who uploads it and it becomes one of those rare overnight internet sensations.

Jerrica writes her hit songCourtesy of Universal

Hitting it Big

The song gets so popular that CEO of Starlight Music Erica Raymond (a wonderfully-witchy Juliette Lewis) wants to sign Jerrica to an exclusive music deal. She will do if but only if her sisters can join as a band. It’s agreed so the girls are taken to L.A. along with a little unfinished robot their dad built. They are made over visually, named Jem and the Holograms and, without a lot of rehearsal, booked to do three concerts.

The band gets a make-up lessonCourtesy of Universal

Jem and the Holograms Trailer

Enter the Cute Guy

Assigned as tour manager and chaperone is Erica's hot son, Rio (Ryan Guzman), a wanna-be musician as well whom Erica is grooming to be her successor at Starlight Music. Of course Jem and the Holograms are a huge hit and also go looking for the missing pieces of dad’s robot. Rio and Jerrica do that flirty “I hate-ya, I love-ya” dance as fame grows with each appearance of the band.

Rio has some adviceCourtesy of Universal

Going Solo?

Jerrica/Jem, as lead singer, gets more and more popular until Erica wants her to sign a solo contract and dump her sisters. Is this popular new diva who Jerrica really is? Can she save her aunt’s house? Will she really be happy leaving her sisters behind?

Jem takes a selfieCourtesy of Universal

Wrapping Up

Great lessons are learned in Jem and the Holograms like be yourself and you will regret it if you dump your BFFs for individual fame and fortune etc. but this rise-to-fame story has been done to death, i.e. a singer is discovered and whisked to fame usually with some band members who aren’t quite as popular, said singer dumps the gang to go solo and realizes he or she then has no real friends and regrets it. Argh.

Rockin' out!Courtesy of Universal

There is a weird little side story about Jerrica and the girls looking for parts for an unfinished robot bearing life lessons. Huh?

Although the song that launches Jem isn’t mind-bending or original-sounding, you might enjoy some of the music and futuristic clothes and make-up. Maybe your mom or aunts who grew up in the ‘80’s, will remember the animated TV series that this live-action film is based on but a lot of ‘80’s fans have said the movie isn’t enough like the series in tone or story and they miss The Misfits, the rival band that gave Jem and the Holograms so much trouble. People who grew up in the ‘80’s will also probably either feel old or enjoy seeing ‘80’s brat pack icon Molly Ringwald playing the girls’ auntie.

Jem and her sisters on stageCourtesy of Universal

Acting is okay as is singing. Juliette Lewis makes a great “witchy”, driven and evidently soulless music executive pushing the girls, then Jem to fame to line her pockets with bling and bounty.