Movie Review: ‘Pitch Perfect’

Pitch+Perfect

Pitch Perfect

Gabriel Stoffa

Pitch Perfect” is like watching “Glee” but without the annoying story arcs with big moral lessons. Not that “Pitch Perfect” avoids any moral-based plot mechanisms, but they really are tertiary to the delivery of the comedy and the awesome singing.

The actual plot is very well-worn ground. An “alternative” girl goes to college and is thrown into a series of events that force her to interact with different types of people with their own sets of problems.

The setting is in that magical world of Hollywood where whatever the plot is about is somehow an activity that has a strong showing of people interested. The representation of college is one that everyone wishes was true, but in reality, what college life rarely is. I really, really, really wish “riff-offs” were events that actually occurred in the fashion portrayed in the film.

The cast is made up of stereotypes: slutty girl, weird Asian anime-liking girl, overachiever, fat girl, jerk, etc. The stereotypes are not a bad thing, as they do not go into too much detail yet pave the way for plenty of jokes.

“Pitch Perfect” makes mention multiple times of the amazing film “The Breakfast Club.” Really, “Pitch Perfect” is an homage of sorts to John Hughes style movies due to the stereotyped characters and coming-of-age feel. It had a lingering feeling of the beautiful homage to Hughes’ films done in “Easy A.”

There is a bit of raunchy comedy involving a vomit snow-angel, and a few somewhat risque jokes, but the movie is actually almost prime-time TV friendly. I was actually a little disappointed that there was no nudity, despite a scene with two of the girls standing in the buff singing in the shower at each other. Maybe home release will have a director’s cut with some flesh shots of Brittany Snow and Anna Kendrick while singing “Titanium.” Doubt it.

The real allure for the film is in the music. Making music only with your mouth is always a marvelous thing to see, provided those involved are talented. The songs mashed up and belted out run the range of classics to modern. I have to admit, after I left the theater, I went online to buy the soundtrack.

There is a little dancing, but not enough to really stand out, so the “Glee” comparison is really only that folks do a lot of singing.

One more quality factor to the film is that it is a female-led movie. No, the female roles are not anything to break the glass ceiling, but the era of women making with the funny is in its inception, partly thanks to the success of “Bridesmaids.”

Overall, I give “Pitch Perfect” a fine rating as a date movie. There is no reason to rush out and see it, but it is worth the cost of a ticket if you have some free time to pass and if you like singing.