Pitch Perfect

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Pitch Perfect is charming, weird and confident. The movie is a mixture of  John Hughes meets Best in Show meets Bring it on. Pitch Perfect dives into collegiate a cappella with aplomb and lots of love. Anna Kendrick proves to be an amicable and saucy lead while Rebel Wilson steals the show as a Tasmanian force of nature named Fat Amy.

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The film tells the story of two a cappella groups who are both vying for acoustic glory. For me the story wasn’t about who wins or loses because you knew what would happen. I enjoyed the journey because of the characters. Rebel is a large force of comedy and newcomer Skylar Austin is a less abrasive miniature version of Dane Cook.

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The squirrely guy from Workaholics steals many scenes as well. His reaction to becoming a background singer to John Mayer is a funny blast of improv. When you read this quote just picture the little Workaholics guy saying it.

“I might buy a leather jacket or some aviators. I might even get a piercing. It is all so exciting.”

The biggest problem with this film is that the authenticity makes several missteps stand out. After Bridesmaids it seems like every female centered movie needs vomit. Bachelorette and Pitch Perfect feature copious amounts of projectile vomit that go beyond excessive.  Also, a strange subplot about Kendrick’s dislike of her stepmother is odd because you never meet the woman who receives the rancor.

I loved that the singers are popular on campus. The students love their intricate song numbers but still like the jocks and people who are actually cool more. Also, I dug that two of the main characters bond over David Guetta while standing naked in the shower. Also, I’m certain most of the younger folk who watch the film will have no idea what The Breakfast Club is. However, it is hard to dislike this film because it creates memorable characters and moments where you want to stand up and clap. The mash ups feature some fun songs and listening to Anna Kendrick rap No Diggity is worth the price of admission.

Kay Cannon (30 Rock, New Girl) wrote this film and she did a wonderful podcast with Grantland writer Andy Greenwald (listen to it here). The Hollywood Prospectus podcast talks about her career and how Pitch Perfect came to fruition. It is a great listen and could make your morning drive much more enjoyable.

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Watch Pitch Perfect. Enjoy Pitch Perfect. Buy the soundtrack. Hope the Rebel Wilson will be in many more movies. Appreciate the Kendrick.