“Pitch Perfect” is an incredibly charming movie that is deservedly capturing hearts the nation over, even hearts that didn’t think they could ever love an a capella comedy.
Written by Kay Cannon (“30 Rock” and “New Girl”) and directed by Jason Moore, it’s a movie about girls in competitive college a capella groups, advertised deceivingly (and poorly) as a “Glee”/“Bridesmaids” mashup. Really, it’s more of a musical “Bring It On” with a dash of “Bridesmaids,” and is all the better for that.
“It’s not your typical music movie. It is very modern and the songs and dance moves they use are very appealing to today’s college age audience,” Ferris elementary education junior Shannon Ramso said.
Anna Kendrick is delightful as strong but distant and stubborn mashup master/alt girl Beca, the new girl on campus who prefers making music to making friends. What follows is completely formulaic plot-wise, as she joins a campus group (the down-and-out Barden Bellas), incites their unexpected success and bonds with a ragtag group of girls with seemingly nothing in common.
By the end of the movie, though, no one will care about its formula. The cast is absolutely outstanding, convincing and real. Cast members draw out numerous laughs and tears from audiences. They’re not all fleshed-out characters, but they flip stereotypes on their heads convincingly, rather than simply being “the sex addict, the lesbian and the quiet one.” Scene-stealer Rebel Wilson especially is a fan favorite.
Cannon’s work shines, as the writing within the movie’s formula is smart, self-aware and extremely funny. Not every joke hits—an early rape whistle joke is off-putting, and the vomit humor will gross out some viewers—but the majority are quite sharp and delivered excellently by the cast.
The most important part for the movie’s success, though, is the music. The actors are all more than pretty, talented faces; every one of them can sing really well. The musical montages are expertly cut; the performances are incredibly affecting; and the mash-ups, no matter the songs involved, brought out the best of each of them to create something even better.
While it is by no means the best, or even funniest, movie of the year, it’s a delightful, heart-warming film that will deeply endear itself to many people. Regardless of age, gender or tastes, one will find this movie to be truly pitch perfect.