Not Quite Pitch Perfect

Watching Pitch Perfect 2 reminded me that the first Pitch Perfect is nearly plotless as both films follow nearly identical outlines:

• A cappella group is in turmoil
• A cappella group recruits new members (only 1 in the sequel)
• New member brings a new and galvanizing sound to the group
• Group battles obnoxious a cappella group
• Group participates in impromptu sing-off
• Becca worries about making it–for realz–in the music business
• Group decides to work together to kick azz in (this time world) championship
• Group takes a chance, tries something new and wins the championship

Honestly, the Pitches are just excuses for its talented cast to be funny and to dazzle us with awesome a cappella. (Listen, these dork credentials aren’t going to burnish themselves.)

I don’t care. Pitch Perfect was nearly plotless to begin with so it doesn’t matter to me that its sequel was similarly afflicted. It did bother me some that the 2 seemed like a more pained and cynical take on the subject matter. That being said, I still really enjoyed it. The dialogue was snappier and funnier and the cast did wonders with it. Rebel Wilson and Adam Devine were hilarious, as were Elizabeth Banks and John Michael Higgins. Newcomer Hailee Steinfeld shows great promise; her comedic timing was flawless. Add in cameos by Keegan Michael Key (so amazeballs), Joe Lo Truglio, Jason Jones, Reggie Watts and David Cross (worship emoji, worship emoji, worship emoji) and you’ve got one happy comedy aficionado.

But while Pitch Perfect 2 may have been a more polished version of the first Pitch, it was missing some its charm, and actually I’d say that its polish was part of the reason the film didn’t deliver the way I’d hoped it would (though I still really really liked it!). And–crying emoji, crying emoji, crying emoji– the singing numbers just weren’t as cool and goose-bump-inducing as the numbers in the first one. ALSO NOT ENOUGH TREBLEMAKERS. Like I said, these dork credentials aren’t going to burnish themselves.