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Unless you've been in an a cappella group yourself, you'll never quite understand what it's like. However, those of us who spent our college years and beyond beat-boxing, harmonising, and making obscure musical inside jokes on Friday nights know that Pitch Perfect does a pretty good job of trying. Finally, a movie that shows the good, the bad, and the aca-ugly behind the weird world that is making music with your mouths.
When the first film came out in 2012, I went to the theatre with my fellow a cappella nerds and spent most of it pointing out all the things we identified with, for the first time feeling seen. Surely, now everyone will realise how cool a cappella really is. I'm still waiting.
Fast forward to this Friday, when the third movie in the franchise hits theatres, this time telling the story of of something many former a cappella singers have faced: How do you get a job when your biggest talent is being able to go "da-da" on pitch?
But money, career, future? Let's put all that on the backburner. This post is about the music — specifically, just how much does Pitch Perfect get right when it comes to translating the most sacred of collegiate extracurriculars to the big screen?
Ahead, we spoke to former a cappella singers, as well as those whose groups are still going strong, about what they think of Pitch Perfect. What does the franchise get right? What does it get wrong? And how many times, approximately, have you been asked to do a riff-off? I'm hoping to have my shot any day now.
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