Ever since I was a kid I’ve loved acapella.  From Rockapella to Boyz II Men, I loved the whole concept.  The sound of people in harmony while imitating instrumental sounds enthralled me and I couldn’t get enough.  Oddly enough, I didn’t have much of it.  It wasn’t until Youtube came along that I realized I could find more.  I watched numerous acapella renditions of popular music and soon stumbled into the world of collegiate acapella.

Eventually, I learned about Pitch Perfect.

Released by Universal Pictures in 2012, and inspired by a book of the same name, Pitch Perfect crept by my radar until one night when a friend told me about it.  The second he mentioned acapella, I ordered the DVD.  Yeah, I’m that much of a fan.  Heck, If I didn’t sound like a goat being slaughtered every time I sang something, I’d try auditioning.

So anyway, I figured if the movie didn’t entertain me, I’d at least love the music.  I say that because many modern comedies haven’t satisfied me all that much, so I didn’t think it’d be all that funny.  Fortunately, when the DVD came and I put the movie on, I was wrong.  To put you in my headspace from the first viewing, here’s the opening to the movie along with my reactions…

An acapella rendition of the Universal Pictures theme starts and the logo comes in.  The film has already grabbed me.  The rival acapella group known as The Treblemakers start singing Rihanna’s “Don’t Stop the Music” at a national competition.  I kick back and enjoy the music, as the rhythm and energy of the original song are perfectly captured.

The two announcers (played by John Michael Higgins and Elizabeth Banks) set the tone with funny banter as the song continues.  We then meet the all-female acapella group called The Barden Bellas as the Treblemakers finish their song.  The Bellas then come out and start their performance of Ace of Base’s “The Sign.”  The song is one of my childhood favourites, so I automatically give this points.  On top of that, the Bella’s choice of vocal sounds makes it even more charming.

Unfortunately, in just less than a minute, the lead singer projectile vomits and things go awry.  The announcers make a couple jokes, everyone looks on in shock, I laugh, and then boom, the opening credits swing in as a pulsating beat kickstarts the movie.  I’m instantly hooked.

Throughout the rest of the film, I’m having a rollicking good time.  From the characters and the humor, to the writing and the songs, everything works.  The lead character is Becca (played by Anna Kendrick), a freshman in pursuit of a music career.  After unwanted coaxing from her father, she reluctantly auditions for The Bellas.  From there, she butts heads with Aubrey Posen, the lead singer, over the song choices and arrangements.  Meanwhile, Aubrey is hellbent on beating The Trebles in the competition.

The movie definitely has similarities to Bring it On, and yet it still manages to do its own thing.  It’s written by Kay Cannon (who’s written for The New Girl and 30 Rock), so she knows her way with comedy.  The humor is very character-driven, and with a lot of the actors coming from comedy backgrounds, they deliver the goods.  I actually found myself laughing out loud at all the jokes.

There’s no other way to say it, I’m very glad I watched the movie.  It is packed with hilarious quotable lines, memorable scenes, and it even has heart in the right places.  It’s easily the most fun I’ve had watching a comedy in a long time.  I wanted good acapella music, and I got that plus even more.  If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend watching it.  I’m excited to see what the sequel has in store.

So until next time, always remember that the key to winning in life is sometimes hidden under the fridge.  Good night everybody!  o/