Pitch Perfect: Movie Review

Pitch Perfect: Movie Review

Cast: Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Aubrey Camp, Brittany Snow, Skylar Astin
Director: Jason Moore

It's off to the world of a capella singing we go for this latest female ensemble piece.

Anna Kendrick stars as Beca, a newbie to college and a wannabe DJ who'd rather be spinning the tunes than singing them with a slew of other ladies.

Cajoled into joining the all girl group The Bellas, whose past was rocked by one of their number vomiting everywhere at the finals, she finds herself in battle with the Treble Makers, the reigning boy band champs.

But Beca's attitude towards the a cappella world and the desire to mix it up using more upto date music puts her on a collision course with those running the Bellas...

Let's get this out of the way - Pitch Perfect is no big screen version of Glee. And for that, we should all be grateful.

In fact, early on during auditions, Christopher Mintz-Plasse makes an awesome cameo telling the auditionees that this is no place to work out social issues, that's high school, clearly cocking a snook at the sing-along antics of Glee.

It's a fairly throw away film though, but one which is packed with heaps of energy and singing obviously and is guaranteed to be a great night out at the cinema.

Plus it has one major thing going for it - Rebel Wilson. She steals every single scene she is in, with great delivery of great one-liners and put downs. If anything, Pitch Perfect is the breakthrough role she's been looking for for her unique brand of sarcastic awkwardness and the writers have catered excellently to her.

Anna Kendrick remains her perky and likeable self throughout as well; but it's more of a film which caters for the women rather than the other way round - the males of the piece are strapped for screen time and slightly underwritten.

But when you have an ensemble of women, I'm not sure what the push is to have them going for a bit of gross out behaviour - call it the Bridesmaids effect if you will - but once again vomiting plays a big part in this musical mash up piece. Throw in Elizabeth Banks as an aca-judge with some truly funny zingers though and this is clearly the oestrogen generation which is being targeted.

The energy levels dip somewhat towards the end as we near the frantic finale as it concentrates on Beca's love story but overall, even if it is slightly overlong, Pitch Perfect is a fine piece of celluloid fun; it'll have you leaving the cinema giggling and with a song running through your head.

But, above all, Pitch Perfect will have you believing a comedy star in the form of Rebel Wilson is well and truly on the ascent.

Rating:

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