Pitch Perfect (Movie Review)

Pitch Perfect
Director: Jason Moore
Writer: Kay Cannon (screenplay), Mickey Rapkin (based on the book by)
Starring: Anna Kendrick, Brittany Snow, Ben Platt, and Rebel Wilson
DVD Release Date: December 18, 2012

Synopsis from Amazon:

Arriving at her new college, Beca (Anna Kendrick) finds herself not right for any clique but somehow is muscled into one that she never would have picked on her own: alongside mean girls, sweet girls and weird girls whose only thing in common is how good they sound when they sing together. When Beca leads this a cappella singing group out of their traditional arrangements and perfect harmonies into all-new mash-ups, they fight to climb their way to the top of college music competitions.

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MY THOUGHTS:

The other night I found myself watching Pitch Perfect for the second, and what will definitely not be the last, time. This will certainly be a movie I will eventually end up owning. I absolutely adore this cute and funny movie. It follows Beca (Anna Kendrick) during her Freshman year of college. Beca has her heart set on moving to LA to become a DJ, but because she lacks the funds to do so, she is attending the university at which her father is a professor. The two make a deal: If she joins one campus group and truly makes an effort to belong and have a typical college experience for one year, he will pay for her to follow her DJing dreams. This is how Beca finds herself joining the all-girl a cappella group, The Barden Bellas.

At this (I believe) un-named school, a cappella groups are all-the-rage. An all-male group, lead by the hilarious Adam DeVine (of Workaholics fame) are rock stars at their school. Another group is made up of stoner kids. In a world where Glee kids are usually the misfits and outcasts of society, I loved that, in this world, these kids are revered.

What makes this movie are the characters and the actors who play them. Beca plays the "alternative chick" who doesn't care what anybody thinks and who walks through life with headphones on. Anna Camp plays, the Queen Bee, Aubrey. After literally blowing (chunks) last year's competition when she was a junior, she is determined to go out a winner in her last year. This means playing it safe. She is, of course, threatened by Beca's fresh take on music and does whatever she can to reign her in. Brittany Snow plays Chloe, Aubrey's second in command. She is the one who "discovers" Beca in a wonderfully hilarious shower scene where the two harmonize beautifully to David Guetta's Titanium. (I've embedded the scene below.) Chloe loves the direction Beca wants to take the Bellas. Finally, Rebel Wilson plays self-coined Fat Amy. (She calls herself that so twig bitches don't call her fat behind her back.) I've said it before and I'll say it again: Rebel Wilson is one of the funniest humans on this planet. She steals every scene that she is in. Honestly, I loved every single actor in this movie. Anna Kendrick is quickly becoming one of my all-time favorites and I loved Brittani Snow and Anna Camp in this, as well. The other members of the Bellas are also funny (if not mostly just in the background) especially the little Asian girl who speaks so softly nobody can ever hear what she is saying. This time while watching I found myself rewinding and blasting the sound to hear her and what she is saying is often hilarious, like: I ate my twin sister in the womb and I start fires to feel good about myself. The cameos of Elizabeth Banks and John Michael Higgins as The Best in Show-type-commentators at the competitions was just icing on the cake.

I loved the burgeoning romance between Beca and Jesse (who sings for the competition), but was happy that it never took center stage. This movie is about the ladies and the bonds the girls in the group form. The songs are wonderfully done. These girls can seriously sing.

Overall, I really can't recommend this movie enough. It is cute and funny. The dialogue is very well-written and extremely witty. If you are looking for a fun movie this weekend, this is the one you should pick up.

What do you think? Have you seen this movie? If so, did you like it? If not, do you think it's something you would? Sound off below.