Why I Watch Pitch Perfect Repeatedly
Because the “dick move” is sometimes the right move.
I confessed to a group of friends today that, every time I watch Pitch Perfect and Pitch Perfect 2, I would end up in tears. This is the kind of things that smother whatever remains of your Cool Factor; not that I have much, to begin with.
The Pitch Perfect movies may be about acapella singing but they are — if you think about it — really sports movies. Like Moneyball, like Invictus, like Jerry Maguire, they are in essence movies about underdogs winning the day.
If you’ve never seen Pitch Perfect, the story revolves around an all-girl group called The Barden Bellas desperate to claw their way to victory in the inter-collegiate acapella competition. Initially, the group’s leader is determined to stick to a game-plan that hasn’t changed in years. So, every time they go on stage, they get teased for being boring, unimaginative, and totally predictable. Anna Kendrick’s character decides to shake things up by going off-script at the semi-finals, costing the team a spot in the finals. After much arguing and projectile vomiting, the ragtag group of individuals eventually overcome their differences, form a strong friendship, and go on to win the finals.
You must be thinking, “Sounds pretty much like every movie about team spirit and friendship. Surely the crying is unnecessary!”
Ok, so Anna Kendrick’s awesome voice may have a part to play but here are 3 reasons why Pitch Perfect is the perfect movie to watch when you’re feeling downtrodden and isolated.
It takes courage to stick to your craft, especially if it’s a “quirky” one
Acapella is, as Elizabeth Bank’s character puts it, “making sweet, sweet music with their mouths”. It’s a weird thing to be into but so are many of our Life’s choices. Like, why don’t we leave the company that doesn’t deserve us? Why don’t we move on to greener pastures and make our lives easier? I can’t explain why I often choose to do the hard thing. Maybe it’s because I feel one must suffer to create something great. Whatever it is, it takes courage to stick to your belief and vocation — especially when there’re people out there always trying to make you feel stupid for trying.
A “dick move” is sometimes the right move
So at one point in the first movie, Anna Kendrick’s character decides to shake things up by going off the routine the team has worked on. She is then asked to leave the group, which affects morale. Although she eventually apologizes for making the “dick move”, I think what’s worth noting is that her action kicks the team out of their comfort zone and forces them to decide if it’s time to confront team captain Aubrey to do something different for once. Confrontation is necessary for change to happen.
Madness is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different result
Aubrey has a plan and she believes that if the Barden Bellas stick to it, they’ll win. Sticking to a plan because it is “the thing to do” — is that discipline or is it plain cowardice? We cede control of our lives when we follow in the footsteps of others. We should have the courage to author a success story that’s unconventional, unheard of, and unclaimed by anyone else. If at first, you don’t succeed, sing a different song!
— — — — — — — — — -
A little about the author:
My day-job is that of a CEO of an edtech startup. When I’m not working at trying to make the business succeed, I’m mum to a 4-year-old rescue dog named Toufu, and wife to a personal trainer with an insane love for ultra-marathons and Quentin Tarantino movies. I love my food so the only way I can blaze those calories is through a mixture of spinning, bootcamping, and rock-climbing. I have 7 tattoos and was chased out of an onsen in Hokkaido because the one of my shoulder looks too “yakuza”. I host a podcast on Learning called “Humanizing Learning” and you can find it on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
17 down, 46 to go
