The first Pitch Perfect was funny, engaging, and for a musical film about a group of A Capella singers it marked a branching path for musicals as a whole.
Once again we have the same young women, with a few people shunted out because they’ve graduated, unless you’re Chloe (Brittany Snow) and failing a class every semester doesn’t get you placed on academic probation or prevented from performing in extracurricular activities. Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson return as Beca and Fat Amy, the former our main character and the latter our ascended ensemble dark horse. Ester Dean and Hana Mae Lee return as the two most notable Bellas from the previous film, in that you actually probably know who Cynthia and Lily are. Compare them to Shelley Regner and Kelly Jakle who play Ashley and Jessica who are literally, even to the characters themselves, interchangeable despite looking nothing alike. Even Alexis Knapp is recognizable as the sexual Bella, Stacie, and for a second there I would have added Chrissie Fit as Florencia, only to learn she is a new character who joined in between the two films.
Skyler Astin, Ben Platt and Adam DeVine return as Jesse, Bumper, and Benji respectively (Beca’s understanding but not as talented boyfriend, the former leader of the Treblemakers who went to work with a famous musician and is now back to claim Fat Amy’s heart, and Jesse’s roommate and Treblemakers companion). Leave it to Elizabeth Mitchell and John Michael Higgins, our comedic and loveable commentators Gail Abernathy and John Smith, to bring the jokes on every second they’re on the screen.
There is a new character in this film, Emily Junk, played by Hailee Steinfeld (Juliet Capulet from the newest Romeo and Juliet and Petra from Ender’s Game) who is a legacy to the Barton Bellas. Her mother, played by the stylish Katey Sagal (Peggy from Married with Children, Gemma from Sons of Anarchy, and Leela from Futurama) is here and there in the movie, doing her best to be a parent.
This film seems to understand the nuances of being a sequel. You capitalize on what worked before (but not too much) you cut things that didn’t work (but not entirely) and you always, ALWAYS expand on the characters development. In this film I felt that all of those notes (pun intended) were hit, except for the aforementioned Ashley and Jessica who are literally interchangeable.
The mashups were fun and, as you’ll tend to find in musicasl these days, focus is given to an original song Flashlight which was produced, written, and Steinfeld’s character but in reality it was Jessie J. The stakes were raised to remind us that these young ladies are great singers but there is much more to a capella (apparently) then just singing without instruments.
With a second sequel on the way I can guarantee you that at some point there will be a breakdown. The third film almost always has them, but until then I am looking forward to it because I adore the characters and the humor is awesome! Yes, Fat Amy did just flash the President and First Lady alongside millions of others!
Lloydd Marshall Books 