After a grueling and rather unpleasant week of midterms, I escaped to the theater for a good pick-me-up and a mindless movie. My fried brain needed something predictable, silly and fun. Believe it or not, “Pitch Perfect”––that’s right, the a cappella version of “Glee”––hit the spot!
“Pitch Perfect” follows Beca (Anna Kendrick of “Up in the Air”) during her first year of college. Beca has issues: She hates school, likes to be left alone and is only interested in mashing up her own music. After a PG-13 singing-in-the-shower scene, Beca reluctantly agrees to audition for one of the college’s a cappella groups, the Bellas. The Bellas are a “traditional” a cappella clan, but due to a lack of interest, they must accept “untraditional” misfits. The new Bellas include a sexaholic (Alexis Knapp), the self-named Fat Amy (the hysterical Rebel Wilson from “Bridesmaids”), and my personal favorite, quiet Lily (Hana Mae Lee). Lily whispers under her breath, making her teammates and the audience strain to hear her one-liners, which leave you howling (“I ate my twin sister in the womb!”).
The story drags a bit, while the singing misfits compete for a chance to go to Nationals and deal with their own personal issues. The supporting cast, especially Fat Amy and quiet Lily, really steals the show. The prim and proper leader of the Bellas, Aubrey (Anna Camp), however, keeps this predictable movie off balance, by having several projectile vomiting scenes straight out of “The Exorcist.” Odd and totally unexpected for this type of film.
I’m a big fan of Whitman’s a cappella groups––Testostertones, Schwa, and Sirens of Swank––so I was a bit hesitant to see “Pitch Perfect”‘s gimmicky, drama-filled perversion of all-voice music. However, the movie’s weirdness somehow kept me laughing for almost two hours. “Pitch Perfect” plays off of “Glee,” but weaves together “The Breakfast Club,” “Bring It On” and a few reminders of “The Exorcist.” This cheesy love story about misfits with great voices and personalities makes it a fun chick flick to see with a group of friends.
