Pitch Perfect 2 (2015)
Certified: PG
Duration: 115 minutes
Directed by: Elizabeth Banks
Starring: Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Hailee Steinfeld, Brittany Snow, Alexis Knapp, Hana Mae Lee, Ester Dean, Chrissie Fit, Kelley Jakle, Shelley Regner, John Michael Higgins, Elizabeth Banks
KRS Releasing Ltd
The Barden Bellas have now been college champions in a cappella singing for three years running. When the group is invited to sing for the President and Mrs Obama, they are however laughed at.
Fat Amy (Rebel Wilson) has an accident on live television and ends up exposing herself, with the result that the Bellas are banned from participating in Aca-Circuit events.
This means the end of the world for its members, that include their leader Beca (Anna Kendrick), the soft-spoken Asian Lilly (Hana Mae Lee), Emily (Hailee Steinfeld), who is still new to the group, insecure Chloe (Brittany Snow), Cynthia (Ester Dean), who is lesbian, and Flo (Chrissie Fit), who is a bit weird.
Seeking redemption, the Barden Bellas enter an international a cappella tournament that is to be held in Copenhagen. There they will have to face off against Das Sound Machine, a formidable German group led by Komissar (Birgitte Hjort Sorensen) and Pieter (Flula Borg).
In the Barden Bellas camp, Beca tries to keep things afloat, Emily seems to be starting something with Benji (Ben Platt), who is as nervous as can be, and Bumper (Adam DeVine), who had been their enemy, is now very much interested in Fast Amy.
On the sidelines, the duo John (John Michael Higgins) and Gail (Elizabeth Banks) continue to offer commentary that marks well the way the Bellas are trying to come back together.
The original Pitch Perfect was a delightful movie. The sequel, pleasingly enough, delivers more of the same but this time around it has become a huge box office hit. A cappella singing may not become the latest rage, however, the female audience is spending well, showing Hollywood big wigs that they should do well in investing in female-oriented movies.
It also helps that the original cast is back for a second time and is again intent on having fun. The cast was one of the primary reasons the first movie was such a hit and here their very likeable characters really pull together to deliver a movie that is fun and entertaining.
Another advantage is that Banks here also takes on not just production and acting duties, but also direction. She shows she has a feel for both story and characters and delivers all that the formula dictates but with an endearing quality. She also manages to infuse the film with a light comedy tone that is very eloquent.
Kendrick as Beca is intense as usual; Wilson is a hoot; Steinfield as the latest Bella fits well, while Lee as the ultra-shy Lilly is very funny. Wilson has a laugh-a-minute romance with DeVine against a background of a cappella musical stand-offs.
These musical moments are well carried out and very effective and, even though I am not a fan of this kind of music, these are well presented on screen and give dynamism to the movie.
Pitch Perfect 2 manages to tickle our funny bone and endear itself into our attention – two different qualities that here manage to sit well with each other.