DIR: Trish Sie • WRI: Kay Cannon, Mike White • PRO: Elizabeth Banks, Paul Brooks, Max Handelman • DOP: Matthew Clark • ED: Steve Edwards, Mark Helfrich • MUS: Christopher Lennertz • DES: Toby Corbett • CAST: Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Brittany Snow, Anna Camp, Hailee Steinfeld, Elizabeth Banks, John Michael Higgins, Ruby Rose, John Lithgow
The first Pitch Perfect made me cry. The sequel brought a tear to my eye. This one is just sad.
Having graduated college and realising the real world isn’t what they were expecting, the Barden Bellas decide to reunite and join the USO to sing for American troops around Europe. For the first time, the Bellas are up against musicians who play instruments and perform original songs. Although not technically a competition, at the end of the tour DJ Khaled will choose one group to be his opening act.
It all feels very American. I had to go home and Google what the USO is (a non-profit organisation that provides live entertainment for members of the United States Armed Forces and their families). It’s alienating for any non-Americans watching, and takes the viewer out of the diegesis, making us consider why the troops are in these countries, and what message it sends to younger viewers.
There are plot holes and not enough songs. The trailer sets up a rivalry with Ruby Rose-led girl-band Evermoist (hold for laughter) but their rivalry only lasts two songs. Two of the leads have plots entirely based on daddy issues, which makes a nice change from the first Pitch Perfect, when only Anna Kendrick had daddy issues. They try very hard to give one-dimensional characters something to do, but they fall flat.
Elizabeth Banks and John Michael Higgins are as funny as ever, and their obvious narration feels taken right out of the storyboard meeting: “They really do need to join the work force”. It did make me laugh, but they weren’t enough to save this sinking ship. As a fan of the original, I was let down. Hopefully that’ll be the end of the series.
Aca-trocious
Aoife O’Ceallachain
12A (See IFCO for details)
93 minutes
Pitch Perfect 3 is released 22nd December 2017
Pitch Perfect 3 – Official Website
