Pitch Perfect (2012) is comedy about dueling a capella choirs. I didn't even know that a capella groups were a thing, but wikipedia lists dozens of them, and Music Grotto ranks the best groups (#1 is Pentatonix). Regardless, if it's about music, there's bound to be some gay characters.
Scene 1: An all-male a capella choir, the Barden University Treblemakers led by Bumper (Adam Devine), performs "Don't Stop the Music" at Lincoln Center, to rousing applause!
In the booth, the judges discuss how perfect they are for the International Championship of Collegiate A Capella Groups (I want this to spell something dirty, but it doesn't), and how all the ladies in the room are hot for them. Ugh, heterosexism in the first second: the only reason a man does anything is to get ladies.
They perform some cool moves. Bumper does a "sexy man-split", struts for the fangirls, and insults the next group: an all-female choir. They're the first girl group to get this far in the competition because, according to the judges, girls just don't have the range. I think we're supposed to condemn the judges for being sexist.
Dressed like 1960s stewardesses, the Bellas sing a snoozefest song. Then one throws up. Projectile vomiting in the first five minutes! Yuck! The judges actually like this: it add excitement to their act.
Scene 2: This must be a flashback. Beca takes a taxi to move-in day at the stately, ivy-halled university. She meets her new roommate, who hates her from the start, even more when she brings out her DJ equipment.
Her dad drops by: Dr. Mitchell, a Professor of Comparative Literature.
I majored in that in grad school, for about ten minutes. It was stiflingly elitist. He insists that she give college a chance; she can move to California and become a dj later.
Meanwhile, the hunky Jesse (Skylar Astin, left) meets his new roommate, Benji (Ben Platt, below), a Star Wars nerd and amateur magician. To his credit, Jesse doesn't insult him. (Ben Platt is gay in real life, so maybe his character is gay).
Scene 3: The Activities Fair. Hunky Jesse tells Magician Benji that the hottest club on campus is Bumper's A Capella Group. It's what being a man is all about. He points to where Bumper is asking passing girls if they want him to whip it out. But they're sexist jerks!
Meanwhile the head Barden Bella rejects a girl because her boobs are inadequate. More sexist jerks! She only wants "super-hot girls with bikini bodies who can harmonize and have perfect pitch." Her assistant suggests maybe recruiting girls who can sing, like Fat Amy (Rebel Wilson). Yes, she calls herself that.
Scene 4: An incredible hunk in a swimsuit is passing out fliers, but Beca ignores him. Maybe we're supposed to conclude that she's gay?
She stops at a booth called the Barden DJs, since she wants to be a DJ, but it's actually a group for Deaf Jews, har har.
Head Barden Bella tries to recruit her for the Bellas, but she refuses: it sounds tremendously lame.
Meanwhile, Nerd Benji is desperate to join the Treblemakers, but Bumper says no. But Bumper's singing changed his life! Maybe they could hang out sometime? Nope: "The smell of your weird is affecting my vocal chords." Dude, pick someone who doesn't sneer all the time. Your new roommate seems nice.
Scene 5: Beca finds a campus radio station that plays funky alternative music.
Wait, she has a job there. On move-in day? Turns out that Hunk Jesse works there too.
Time for a meet-cute? Nope, she hates him. Station manager Luke (Freddie Stroma, left) tells them that, as freshmen, they can't go into the DJ booth; their job is to sort CDs. Ugh!
Scene 6: Dad wakes Beca up. "You've been here a month, and still no friends? Geez, I thought it was the next day. "Get with the program." "I work at the radio station?" "With those weirdos?" He forces her to join a student club.
She heads to the shower room (fortunately, we don't see anything.) Surprise -- she's being stalked by the Bella Aubrey, who gets way too close as she importunes Beca to join. Ok, ok, just get your hands off my junk!
Scene 6: The auditions for all four a capella groups at once. I guess you sing for all of them, and we can watch Bumper insulting more people.
The host, Kolio (David Del Rio), specifies that this is not a high school club, where you "can sing and dance your way through any social issue or confused sexuality." Ok, that's homophobic, claiming that gay people are "confused." "This isn't high school, it's real life." I get it: gay people do not exist in real life.
The auditions are mostly awful. I expected Beca to nail it, but she does a weird thing with clapping and a cup. Everyone is shocked by how awful she is, but she's in anyway. Almost everyone who auditioned gets in.
More a capella after the break
