Starring: Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Hailee Steinfield, Brittany Snow, Skylar Astin.
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Runtime: 115 mins. Reviewed in May 2015
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This is a sequel perfectly pitched at fans of the first film. Extremely irreverent and knowingly odd, the fun cast, quick-witted script and (most importantly) feel-good, a capella song covers won’t win many converts, but sophomore viewers will be glad the Barden Bellas are back.
The film opens with the Bellas performing a special tribute at the President of the United States’ birthday celebrations. Beca (Anna Kendrick), Chloe (Brittany Snow), ‘Fat Amy’ (Rebel Wilson) and most of the gang are back again, and their performance is going brilliantly, until a high-wire mishap involving Fat Amy results in an indecent exposure being perpetrated against the entire audience. They are not impressed, and when the news goes viral, their reputation is destroyed.
As the opening suggests, the film is gleefully inappropriate, mixing caustic and un-politically correct humour with jabs at race, gender and sexuality flying throughout. The a capella podcast commentators John (John Michael Higgins) and Gail (Elizabeth Banks) are perfect examples of this. John constantly remarks on why women should not be sent to college, while Gail makes sly remarks about John’s sexual orientation and her good fortune to have married a Jewish man. While this style of humour fell so flat in ‘Get Hard’, it still works here much like the first film, primarily because the characters are so likable and happy to turn the quips on themselves when appropriate.
After the Presidential fiasco, the Barden Bellas are stripped of their official status and look set to be dissolved, until they are set the following challenge: win the World A Capella Championship and be reinstated. This pits them against the über-impressive German outfit Das Sound Machine, led by Kommissar (Birgitte Hjort Sørensen) and Pieter (Flula Borg), whose spine-tingling performances make them compelling antagonists. Sub-plots abound, including Beca interning for a hot-shot music producer (Keegan-Michael Key), Fat Amy trying to define her on-off relationship with Bumper (Adam Devine), and new Legacy pledger Emily (Hailee Steinfeld) finding her feet both at College and within the Bellas.
Story-wise, it hits almost identical plot points to the original film – there’s a ‘Riff-Off’ between competing a capella teams, the group looks to be breaking up internally but sisterhood triumphs over their divisions, and everything leads to a triumphant final performance which should keep audiences engaged and tapping their feet. The covers and mash-ups of contemporary and classic tunes are still impressive (though disappointingly never entirely composed of only voices as is true a capella), and the choreography is tight. Outside of the song and dance segments however, it is technically uninspired, with debut director Elizabeth Banks coasting on auto-pilot with visual choices until the next musical number comes along. Her grasp on the cast is good however, and all are back at their usual high level. Australian export Rebel Wilson (seemingly always playing herself) often steals the show, with her riffs getting the biggest laughs in my screening. Newcomer Steinfeld holds her own (and demonstrates a great voice), and other debut Bella Flo (Chrissie Fit) displays great comic delivery with her references to her emigration to the US and her immigrant status.
Consider it more of the same, but when a second helping delivers the same entertainment as a well-liked preceding instalment, it can only be considered a delivery on the promise to the audience. The Barden Bellas are back, and looking likely to score themselves a third feature.
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