Pitch Perfect (2012)
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2025-09 to 2026-08
An all-female a cappella group must overcome internal conflicts and external competition to win a prestigious championship.
The story
The film follows the Barden Bellas, an all-female a cappella group at Barden University. After a disastrous performance at the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA) where their lead singer suffers from stage fright, the group is left in a precarious position. Months later, a new student named Beca Mitchell, a talented but unconventional music producer, joins the group. Beca's presence sparks a shift in the group's dynamic as they prepare to face off against the Treblemakers, an all-male a cappella group from the same university, in a series of high-stakes competitions to reach the finals.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After the Barden Bellas suffer a humiliating loss at the ICCA due to a member's stage fright, the group is revitalized by the addition of Beca Mitchell, a rebellious and talented student. Beca joins the group alongside other newcomers, including the boisterous Fat Amy. The Bellas face internal friction between the traditionalist Aubrey Posen and the more experimental Beca. They must compete against the Treblemakers, led by the ego-driven Bumper Allen. Throughout the competition, the Bellas struggle with internal tensions and the pressure of the competition. During the semi-finals, Beca's bold musical choices lead to a rift with Aubrey, causing Beca to quit. However, after a period of reflection and a push from her father, Beca reconciles with the group. In the final competition, the Bellas perform a high-energy mashup of several popular songs, ultimately winning the championship. The film concludes with Beca and her friend Jesse Swanson sharing a romantic moment.
- First release year
- 2012
- Runtime (minutes)
- 112
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Jason Moore
- Writers
- Kay Cannon · writer
- Cast and characters
- Anna Kendrick · Beca Mitchell; Skylar Astin · Jesse Swanson; Rebel Wilson · Patricia "Fat Amy" Hobart; Adam DeVine · Bumper Allen; Anna Camp · Aubrey Posen; Brittany Snow · Chloe Beale; Alexis Knapp · Stacie Conrad; Ester Dean · Cynthia Rose Adams
- Genres
- musical comedy; comedy; musical
- Themes
- sisterhood; competition; artistic integrity
- Tone and mood
- comedic; energetic
- Premise and plot tags
- musical; college; competition
- Source material / true-story basis
- Mickey Rapkin's non-fiction book Pitch Perfect: The Quest for Collegiate a Cappella Glory
- Franchise connections
- Pitch Perfect
- Reception
- The film received generally positive reviews from critics and became a sleeper hit.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 81% · scale: percentage · review count: 156; Metacritic · score: 66 · scale: 100 · review count: 33; CinemaScore · score: A · scale: A+ to F
- Production trivia
- The film was shot at Louisiana State University.; The film is the third-highest-grossing music comedy film.; The soundtrack was 2013's bestselling soundtrack album.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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