![]() The Barden Bellas have been on a roll since we last saw them, winning the national championships at Lincoln Center three years in a row. Basically, if you’ve seen the trailers, then you know what’s going to happen. The issues I feel strongest about aren’t even relevant to the plot so that shouldn’t be a problem. The Plot: This won’t be a spoiler-filled review like my previous review for Avengers 2. The running time is 1 hour and 55 minutes.īuy a copy of my book, "Straight-Up Blatant: Musings From The Aisle Seat," on sale now at ! Paperback and Kindle editions also available at Amazon.Promo Poster for the Sequel of most of the cast Pitch Perfect 2 is rated PG-13 for innuendo and language. For whatever it lacks formally as a film, it wins you over with its joyous, infectious spirit. Pitch Perfect 2 delivers on both those counts. All the musical numbers are presented with the kind of toe-tapping exuberance that fans of the original have come to expect.Īt the end of the day, one goes to these movies for some light comedy and great music. One of the best scenes finds the Bellas in an underground competition where they have to sing according to themes such as “Songs About Butts.” (You may not realize how many there are until you hear them all in succession.) There's also sly humor in the way the German team always picks vaguely anarchic tunes to perform, like Muse's “Uprising” and then performs them in uber-thick accents. In this sequel, the mash-ups and song choices are even better than they were the first time. Of course, the high point of both Pitch Perfect movies is the music. Perhaps the biggest surprise is Swedish actress Birgitte Hjort Sorensen, who makes a memorable American debut as the insufferably smug co-leader of Das Sound Machine. Each of the characters feels a little more lived in by this point, and interactions between them are sharp. ![]() The chemistry between the ensemble cast is even more noticeable this time. Anna Kendrick once again makes a funny, perky, utterly relatable lead, while Rebel Wilson earns big laughs as the unpredictable Fat Amy. Instead of hammering home some kind of message, the movie just presents its female characters simply, yet effectively. Most of all, it shows women as being intelligent and talented in a way that's celebratory. It's about women, it was written by a woman (Kay Cannon), and it was directed by a woman. This is a female-powered movie through and through. And, as before, much of the action is interrupted by silliness from the two competition commentators, played by John Michael Higgins and Elizabeth Banks (who also directed).īut while it may not be a traditionally good movie, Pitch Perfect 2, like the original, is deeply enjoyable to watch. There's an excess of “stuff” going on here. In addition to the main story, you also get Beca's attempt to cut it as an intern at a production studio the romances Beca and Emily carry on with the male members of fellow a capella group the Treblemakers Fat Amy's romance with Bumper (Adam DeVine) the return of Aubrey (Anna Camp) and Emily's attempt to live up to the expectations of her former-Bella mother (Katey Sagal). There are way too many plot strands all fighting for time. Looked at purely from a filmmaking perspective, it's kind of a mess. Pitch Perfect 2, like its predecessor, is not necessarily a “good” movie, but it is a fun movie. The Bellas have a secret weapon, however, in the form of Emily Junk (Hailee Steinfeld), a new member with a good voice and an original song. This puts them in conflict with a German group known as Das Sound Machine, led by the obnoxious duo of Pieter (Flula Borg) and Kommissar (Birgitte Hjort Sorensen). The only way they can redeem themselves is to win an international competition that no American team has ever won. Under the leadership of Beca (Anna Kendrick) and Chloe (Brittany Snow), they appeal for mercy. The Bellas are kicked out of the competition circuit as a result of that botched performance. Thankfully, Pitch Perfect 2 rebounds from there, going on to largely avoid such lowbrow contrivances. It's an inauspicious moment, for her and for the movie itself. ![]() Her pants split wide open in the process, giving President and Mrs. ![]() Fat Amy (Rebel Wilson) is lowered from the ceiling on silks, which she becomes hopelessly entangled in. In the opening scene, the Barden Bellas are performing at Lincoln Center. And, in fact, the first fifteen minutes or so of Pitch Perfect 2 appear to indicate doom. Pitch Perfect is another one that didn't seem to have any logical extension point. Both spawned completely unnecessary sequels that collapsed under the strain of trying to find a reason to exist. The Hangover and Horrible Bosses are two great recent examples. Their stories are self-contained, leaving no logical room to continue once they are over. Some movies, especially comedies, do not lend themselves to sequels. ![]()
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