Pitch Perfect Review

              Something to sing about-Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson as a cappella members in Pitch Perfect  

                 Pitch Perfect is not technically a musical. Characters do not break out into song every couple of minutes for no reason and there are no plot conveniences for the sake of another song being sung. However...I will still stand my ground and say right off the bat that not only does Pitch Perfect make this year's fellow music films Sparkle and Rock Of Ages look bad by comparison but it kills and buries the latter. Yes...this is a surprisingly delightful comedy about a group of all female a cappella members who decide to rival off against the males.

                 The film stars Anna Kendrick as Beca....a college student getting her education for free because her dad is a professor. She really does not want to be in college more or less have anything to do with any activities. That is when Chloe (Brittany Snow) insists she join the group because she can sing really, really well (despite what she says.) Chloe is trying to redeem herself from an embarrassing incident at the competition last year. Along the ride is Amy (Rebel Wilson), Aubrey (Anna Camp) and others. To make the incident worse...rival group leader Bumper (Adam DeVine of TV's "Workaholics") makes it so his team wins every year and loves to brag.

                 The film is very fun if not also flawed. As a big "Workaholics" fan, I was excited to see DeVine on the big screen. However...he is just playing his TV character and never really brings anything new to the role even though is character on TV is funny. As well...Wilson is funny but does not really bring anything new to her character. The film also feels as if it is going for the "Glee" feel too much of the time. However...Kendrick brings a sweetness and likability to her role and the film is very funny and clever in the way it presents its music. The stand out music scene is a riff-off between all of the groups that is both well constructed and extremely amusing. The romance between Beca and Jesse (Skylar Astin)...a rival team member adds a nice touch to the film. Also, John Michael Higgins and Elizabeth Banks as the telecasters of the competition are very funny even if they are not as in depth as they should have been.

              With excellent music, funny and clever dialogue and sight gags and a great performer in Kendrick...Pitch Perfect may not be perfect but it is a film I would make a pitch for. The film is rather flawed but it is definitely better than some of the stuff you could be seeing the theaters.

(3 and 1/2 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated PG-13 for sexual material, language and drug references)