Pitch Perfect - A Film Review by Imogene

Pitch Perfect

Directed: Jason Moore

Starring: Anna Kendrick, Skylar Astin, Ben Platt, Brittany Snow, Rebel Wilson, Anna Camp, Adam Devine, Elizabeth Banks

Genre: Comedy, Music, Romance

Stars: 4/5

(Spoilers!)

My friend really wanted to see this movie in the cinema, but we couldn’t find a time that was suitable for us both to go and see it. So as soon as it was available on DVD, she went and brought it pretty much straight away.

I was looking forward to watching this film as the trailer seemed hilarious and it’s got one of my favourite new actresses, Rebel Wilson (plays Fat Amy). She’s a star that has seemed to come from no-where to being one of the funniest and well- known quite quick. So, on a whole the film was brought to life by her.

The film is about a college student Beca, (Anna Kendrick) who moves to Barten University. She has no interest in following tradition or making friendship groups when first appearing at the Uni, all she wants to do is DJ. Her father who also works at the University doesn’t approve of her wanting to become a ‘DJ’ and want her to throw herself into the world of being a normal teenager. Beca fails to attend lesson so her father comes and makes a deal, where she has to join a club at the Uni. She promises she will make an effort, as he says he will help her with her dream of moving to LA to make music if she does, still want to move after a year. She agrees.

Beca takes on an internship at the local radio station, where she meets Jesse, (Skylar Astin) another student at the University.

We see Beca look round stalls looking for a club to join, she looks at a table which says DJ – which meant ‘Deaf Jews’ safe to say she was disappointed as she wanted to do some DJing! On one of the stalls there are two ladies who are desperate for singers in their group – and we see them literally giving flyers to everyone. Beca takes a look, but she doesn’t have much interest for singing (even though she could and they desperately wanted her!).

(Fat Amy introducing herself)

I found this part of the movie really funny because we get to see Fat Amy (Rebel Wilson) introduce herself. She really lifted the film in the comedy sections that she’s in. I enjoyed the film very much as it was easy watching and even though there weren’t as many funny scenes as I thought there would be, it was still very entertaining. All the characters in their own way added to the comedy factor. There were many funny members that joined the group, one girl who was obsessed with sex and another who was a lesbian, and we see her try and attempt to grab the lady parts throughout the film in a bid to ‘protect them’, a quiet one who’s voice sounded like a normal persons whisper and a few others.

Due to the promise she made to her dad, Beca reluctantly joins the Barden Bellas. In the beginning of the film we see clips of the Barden Bellas the year before and they weren’t successful in competition against the Treblemakers (another singing group at the same University).

The group doesn’t get off to a good start as the leader of Barden Bellas, Chloe (Brittany Snow) is very controlling over the songs, layout and dance moves, which start to annoy all members of the group, but especially Beca. There are very strict rules for the ladies as they’re not allowed to mix with the Treblemakers as it threatens the competition and anyone found doing so, lose their place in the group. Beca doesn't abide by the rules as she has an on-going friendship with Jesse which whom she works with, outside the University. The only problem is Jesse joins the Treblemakers – so their friendship in the eyes of the singing leaders is unspeakable. We figure out very early on that Jesse has a crush on Beca, and it blossoms throughout their time together. Beca tells Jesse that she doesn’t enjoy films, who himself is a massive fan – so he takes it on himself to show her exactly how much fun a film is. He shows her ‘The Breakfast Club’ which she finds is the first film she hasn’t slept her way through!

I found Jesse’s and Beca’s friendship really sweet because they both care about each other a lot but they know they shouldn’t.  It was obvious in the start that they’d both fall for one another. The genre suggests that this will naturally happen, as in Romantic Comedy – they always do. But however, it’s always nice to see them intertwine!

They do their rehearsals up until the regional competition and surprisingly even with their tiresome set list of songs they manage to make second after the Treblemakes, this saves them a spot in semi-finals. After the show, Beca gets in a fight and is arrested by police. Jesse calls her father so that she can get released and is angry with Jesse for interfering, which affects their friendship.

At the semi-finals, the group start out doing the same routine, different song charade and Beca notices that the audience is getting bored, so she starts putting some backing music behind the lyrics and the audience start enjoying it more. Aubrey didn’t agree and it all leads to a huge argument over Beca trying “to ruin” the Barden Bellas. Beca tries to explain through the film that they need to liven the set up, but Aubrey won’t hear it. They come third in the competition, meaning they loose out. After a complication from another group the Footnotes, they have been banished from the competition, resulting in the Barden Bellas being able to take their place. After the argument Beca says she quit the group, only to leave them in a muddle. The Bellas continue rehearsing for the finals whilst Beca starts working on the radio overnight and starts distancing herself from the Bella Members and Jesse. After finding a copy of the Breakfast Club, we see Beca feeling sad and lonely, she realises that she misses them all.

It’s nice to see that Beca has realised that she has some attachments to the people around her. Proving she wasn’t the same girl who was more than happy being on her own at the start of the film and she also notices her feelings towards Jesse. It was all very ‘the wake up call before everyone kisses, makes up and lives happily ever after’ but it’s a little of what you expect! (It’s terribly predictable, but every now and then, we all like a comfortable film!)

After being convinced by her father to rejoin the Bellas, she walks in to see the rehearsals falling apart and proposes that they call and open up about themselves. A hilarious part of the film, where we see each of the characters personality. It’s a group of mismatches, yet all bond well over their love of music and performing! We find out that Fat Amy’s name is actually Fat Patricia, which was pretty funny. Several members of the group gave a personal confession to the group, which helped solved their differences. After Beca telling them her ideas the group appoint her as their group leader. She helped changed pretty much everything about the Barden Bellas – giving it the modern lift it needed to win the Nationals.

(The Bellas at National Finals)

At the A Cappella National competition, the Bellas start with there usual routine, only to break out into a new song and set, which helped them change their reputation and win the Nationals! After the set we see Jesse and Beca make up, sealed with a kiss. (At long last!)

We see a 6 month later, where members of the Bellas and Treblemakers are in auditions with new students for their groups, where the Bellas have their trophy sitting behind them.

I did enjoy this film as it was easy to listen to, and even though it had a high school musical/glee feeling to it, it was pretty decent! I was slightly disappointed by the lack of comedy laughs there was, but despite that it did end up being a good film. I’d watch it again, and if there happens to be a sequel, I shall watch that too (as it’s not right to watch one and not the others!). I liked the fact I knew a lot of the songs in the film, which helped it flow. However, it was pretty predictable and we all knew as soon as it started pretty much that Jesse and Beca would get together. It wasn’t particularly new or original, but enjoyed it non-the-less. Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson stole the show with their amazing work! It’s a 4/5 for all the reasons in the last paragraph!