I'd be surprised if anyone who took the time to read this didn't already know what the Pitch Perfect franchise is all about but just in case, we're talking fun musical comedy starring a bevy of babes including Australia's own Rebel Wilson.
In a way the story doesn't really matter. I mean, this isn't going stimulate you intellectually but like PP 1 and 2, it's just mindless good fun. I don't think it's quite as good as the original or even the second one but I think fans will be happy enough with what's dished up here.
My friend who came along to the preview with me is a big fan of the PP franchise and she said "Perfectly predictable. Entertaining, light-hearted but will hit the right note for an easy viewing summer flick." She did note though, that there weren't as many musical mash-ups as in the previous two which she was a bit disappointed by.
The one thing I will say about the storyline is that Amy's (Rebel Wilson) Australian dad is in this film, played by American John Lithgow. Now, I'm as much of a fan of Lithgow as the next guy but his Australian accent in this film is so appalling that it's laughable. It actually left me wondering if that was meant to be a gag. I feel like it's so bad that that's the only possible explanation. But whatever the concept behind it, it's deeply cringeworthy to watch.
Speaking of Australian accents, Ruby Rose pops up in this one as the singer in a band who are the enemy of The Bellas. It's not a particularly noteworthy role but I thought it's worth mentioning since she's been front and centre in some of the promotion.
It's rated M but if you're, shall we say, flexible with these things, I reckon kids as young as 10 would be ok with this one. Indeed, I happen to know a 10 year old who was at the same preview as me and she loved it. And it only goes for 93 minutes which is the perfect length for this kind of light film.
If you do want to know more about the story, read this proper review (four stars!) in The Guardian.
Opens in cinemas 1 January 2018. Trailer here.