This... this isn't that. There's no emotional solo singing in the rain and in fact the only time they sing are times when they are supposed to be singing like: rehearsals, competitions, performances, and the only stretch - the sing-off but even then it's like an in-house competition so it works. There is only one moment that doesn't fit in which is the girls singing on the bus on the way to a competition, but even that's understandable if you've ever been in a car with friends and an awesome song comes on the radio.
So, on to plot, yes? Beca, played by Anna Kendrick (you might recognize her as Jessica from the Twilight series), is an "alt. girl" with awesome piercings and plugs who can't seem to shake her scowl and headphones. And truth be told, she'd rather not be at college but she's there because she get a free ride since her father is a professor at Barden University. Beca would rather be in LA paying her dues and on her way to producing music. So her father makes a deal with her - spend one year really trying college (make some friends, join a club, do well in her classes, etc.) and if she hates it she can move to LA next year and he'll even help.
So Beca strikes out to prove to her father that school is not the place for her. She obviously wants to do something with music so she joins the the campus radio and then gets strong armed into auditioning for the "Barden Bella's" - the all female acapella group. Joining the cast at this point is Rebel Wilson, a tremendously talented comedian known for her roles in Bridesmaids in the US and a bunch of TV shows in her native Australia. In this movie Wilson plays "Fat Amy" a very eccentric, confident, vocal powerhouse that kept me laughing through out the entire movie. I love her for her quick, biting one liners and her sassy confidence (as a big girl - I can appreciate that since the majority of big women just seem to lack confidence or are portrayed as un-sexy by the majority of media sources). Now the Bellas got pwned in the nationals last year by their rivals the Barden Treble-Makers and this year's captain, Aubury (Anna Camp who has appeared in GLEE, Mad Men, and True Blood) is determined to get back to the nationals and beat the Treble-Makers. She also is a control freak, zealously "protecting" the Bella's image. Needless to say, things don't go according to Aubrey's design and she clashes with Beca throughout the entire flick. Beca also has a love interest named Jesse (Skylar Astin who has been in some big name broadway hit hits: Spring Awakening and Rent). And since he becomes a Treblem-Maker, Aubrey gives Beca no small amount of grief for their implied relationship.
Pitch Perfect was a fantastic movie - ridiculous in the face of the more serious releases. Rotten Tomatoes gave it "81% Fresh" and I must agree - despite the musical trend Pitch Perfect sticks out for it's fantastic comedy, singing routines and Rebel Wilson, I give Pitch Perfect 5 out of 5 stars.
You can check out the trailer here!
