Bigger, bolder, better. Pitch Perfect 2 puts a whole lot more Ahhhhhhhhhhh in acapella. It’s Acca Amazing. The Barden Bella’s have risen to new heights, literally, from the very start of the movie. Fat Amy’s (Rebel Wilson) take on Miley Cyrus will have you rolling in your seat laughing. While performing for the President a quite revealing wardrobe malfunction gives the audience a view from down under which is hysterical. The Bella’s are promptly disgraced and disqualified from all National competitions. Their one shot at regaining their former glory is to win the World Championships in Denmark, a feat never before achieved by an American group.
Elizabeth Banks returns as her character Gail, but also as producer and director of this entertaining sequel. She was also in the role of producer on the first Pitch Perfect. Of the production she says “we wanted to explore the idea of legacy: the friends you take with you and also the people that you leave behind. The girls are graduating from Barden Bellas to Bellas for life.”
Our old favourites Becca (Anna Kendrick), Chloe (Brittany Snow) and Aubrey (Anna Camp) all return. There are also a few new faces, including Emily (Hailee Steinfeld) whose mother was a Barden Belle. Emily writes her own songs and forms a kinship with Becca, who is trying to pursue a producing career outside of the Bella’s. Emily also catches the eye of Benji who along with Jesse fronts the Treblemakers.
Disillusioned by their disqualification and uncertain about the future the Bella’s struggle to work together as a group. While trying to find their ‘Bella’s sound’ again the group go on a bonding trip at a training camp run by former Bella Aubrey. Here they rediscover what is at the heart of the Bella’s: friendship and a sense of belonging. We also get to learn a little more about the characters as they struggle with the reality of graduating and a life after Barden.
The Bella’s rivals at the World Championships are the highly polished German collective Das Sound Machine (DSM), the current European Champions. If the Bella’s are the Rocky of acapella then DSM are the Ivan Drago. The songs are better, the arrangements bigger and we even see a return of the ‘cup song’ (when I’m gone). The choreography is sharper and more elaborate.
Gail (Elizabeth Banks) and John (Michael John Higgins) the inappropriate commentators are absolute scene stealers. They punctuate the movie with an incredible array of very politically incorrect jokes from start to finish. They should literally have their own show.
Gail and John
I re watched the first Pitch Perfect in advance of seeing the second one, and while that was a runaway success in its own right, it’s sequel is fresher, faster paced and much more fun. A definite crowd pleaser for all ages.
Check out the trailer below. I’m giving it 4 out 5 for it’s fabulous fun factor. Pitch Perfect 2 is in cinemas now!
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