Pitch Perfect was released in 2012, so I am very late to the party. The movie follows disaffected Beca Mitchell, just arrived at Barden College, dismissing her newly divorced father's persistent advice to get more involved in college life. Loner Beca drifts until she becomes inadvertently involved with the Barden Bellas, an all-female a Cappella competitive singing group. The Bellas made it to the finals of a nationwide singing competition last year but an unfortunate incident involving the lead singer during their finals performance caused great humiliation and their loss. The leader of the group wants redemption.
Redemption won't come however, as their tired and decades-old routines are consistently outshone by other groups who sing and dance with fresher approaches. Beca has some great ideas, but she is shot down by the leader who insists that tradition will get them the win. As the Bellas make their way through the quarterfinals and semi finals, with the finals looming, will the Bellas eventually embrace change and try a new approach? Will Beca, only barely hanging in with little commitment, stay with the group to the end?
The singing was good and so were the dances. The storyline, though recycled from a million other competition movies before it, was absorbing enough. However, the movie featured promiscuous sex (nothing shown, only referenced), drinking, vomiting from drinking, language, and lesbianism. Most of the dances were suggestive in the extreme. During the final performance one of the singer-dancers performed a lascivious move I wish I could unsee.
The review at Common Sense media was generous, but the Parent Reviews on the same website were not generous at all. The parent reviews in my opinion displayed more common sense.
Common Sense Media's review/rating
User reviews by parents at CSM, most reviews were of this vein
Then movie was not wholesome, despite its rating of PG-13. I have fewer objections to R-rated movies, because with them at least you know what you're getting. This one, advertised as sweet and appropriate for ten-year-olds, left me wanting to take a shower.
Not recommended.