Pitch Perfect, 2012.
Directed by Jason Moore.
Starring Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Skylar Astin, Anna Camp, Brittany Snow, Ester Dean, Ben Platt, and Adam DeVine.
SYNOPSIS:
A feisty coed joins a collegiate a cappella group and upgrades their song selection for the 21st century during the run-up to a major competition.
When I saw the initial trailers for this film I was one hundred per cent convinced that this was going to be a horrible attempt at a chick flick piggy backing off the success of shows like Glee and films like High School Musical. The only reason I went to see the film was actually because of my boyfriend (yep, I think he’s a teenage girl at heart). What I experienced is definitely a contender for my Top Ten of 2012.
Pitch Perfect is more than a chick flick. It is an intelligent, funny and relevant comedy that isn’t just for girls despite all the singing and dancing.
Anna Kendrick is refreshing in the lead female role due to the lack of clichés surrounding her characterisation. Other standout performances come from Rebel Wilson and Anna Camp off of True Blood. An almost all female ensemble cast shatter the assumption that girls aren’t funny – there are many laugh-out-loud moments in this film. The biggest name in the film perhaps, Brittany Snow, unfortunately does not give her best performance and her acting is somewhat uncomfortable and forced.
Another mention should be made towards the soundtrack. The “mashups” made by Kendrick’s character, Beca, are modern and keep in tone with the whole tone of the film. Along with this, the a capella numbers, though not as polished as the Glee ones (arguably less autotuned too) are well placed within the context of the plot, with no one spontaneously breaking into song (thank God).
The setting of the story in a university instead of a high school as well as more mature jokes mean that Pitch Perfect is made available to a wider audience without becoming an American Pie frat boy fart joke comedy, and not distancing itself too much from a girly chick flick like Mean Girls. What I like about Pitch Perfect is that it’s not a rom com, it’s more of a female bildungsroman for the modern audience. I never saw myself liking a film like Pitch Perfect, but I found myself laughing and even applauding. Definitely the dark horse of the year.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Kirsty Capes
Originally published January 6, 2013. Updated April 14, 2018.
