Pitch Perfect 2 Movie Review
You rarely capture lightning in a bottle twice, but there will be little pitching about Pitch Perfect 2. Funny, entertaining and off-the-wall, the only real problem with the sequel is that it’s once again about a capella.
Pitch Perfect 2 brings back the Bellas, most of whom are now in their senior year. After an embarrassing situation involving President Obama and an exposed vagina, the ladies face new adversity--suspension, embarrassment, infighting and the realization that once they graduate, their 15 minutes of fame will come to a close.
Though the plot is slightly different, the machinations are pretty much the same; Pitch Perfect 2 is your typical sequel--same ideas, only bigger.
But despite all odds, the movie doesn’t suffer the fate of so many other sequels. The movie embraces its absurdity and wisely shifts its focus to the most entertaining characters. While Anna Kendrick is still the main character, her story was largely told in the first movie. New director Elizabeth Banks and screenwriter Kay Cannon give her some new things to do, but newcomer Hailee Steinfeld is given the spotlight to be "the new girl." Original love interest Skylar Astin is almost completely sidelined, thankfully. Most importantly, Rebel Wilson’s Fat Amy gets a significant boost in screen time--and she takes full advantage of the opportunity.
The movie could easily have been called Pitch Perfect: Fat Amy Rising, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see spin-off movie for the character in a few years. Wilson is hilarious and elevates the material.
The rest of the cast fine, though many of the young women are largely interchangeable. One stand-out is Hana Mae Lee, who is used sparingly but with incisive effect.
Pitch Perfect 2 isn’t without its flaws, but they’re largely minor. Aside from the fact that a capella is a largely obnoxious form of music, this sequel lives up to its title.
Review by Erik Samdahl unless otherwise indicated.