The film reportedly surpassed School of Rock as the highest-grossing musical comedy.
The reported budget is $17 million and gross $115 million; it was HBO’s top-performing 2013 film, ahead of The Dark Knight Rises and Ted.
Kendrick’s Tony nomination at twelve and musical-film background are recalled; an initial denial that she attended Stagedoor Manor is corrected when research places her there with Skylar Astin.
The Twilight production reportedly accommodated Kendrick’s schedule for this film.
Wilson’s reported age misrepresentation is recalled as an unfair controversy, given how common such practices are in Hollywood.
The soundtrack’s reported number-one chart success and Cups’ thirty-two weeks on the charts are cited; movie and pop versions are distinguished.
The shower scene was reportedly filmed naked, which the panel finds unnecessary.
LSU is identified as the filming location, surprising a participant who liked the campus appearance.
Lily’s actress reportedly auditioned with a Korean folk song, making her mostly inaudible role especially disappointing to the panel.
The film loosely adapts the book Pitch Perfect; Devine reportedly mistook the title for a baseball movie and arrived without a song prepared.
Wilson and Devine’s improvised chemistry reportedly led to their relationship being added to the script.
Dean co-wrote Rihanna’s S&M, performed in the film; her prolific songwriting and later coaching role on a songwriter competition are celebrated.
Conflicting reports give Devine’s unprepared audition song as either the Full House or Family Matters theme; the uncertainty is retained.
Jesse’s beloved movie was originally Say Anything rather than The Breakfast Club.
Ace of Base was selected to sound lame to the Bellas; the choice is challenged because the original pop song is admired, although the film’s arrangement succeeds in making it grating.
The Tufts Beelzebubs are described as a model for the Treblemakers and connected to the film through a consultant.
The earlier uncertain Tufts consultant name is corrected explicitly to Deke Sharon.

Roger Ebert's review

Rating not yet verified

In the discussion (1)

Approx. transcript time · 00:11:40Read transcript

Ebert’s praise for Kendrick and the precision of the Bellas’ choreography surprises the panel, which considers the choreography embarrassing; no numeric score is read.

Picking Nits

Sightlines; costumes; Luke subplot; Beca spelling; riff-off rules; Benji’s job; tote bag; DJ gear

In the discussion (10)

Approx. transcript time · 00:52:35Read transcript

Proper stage lighting at Alice Tully Hall would prevent Beca from seeing Jesse in the audience.
The Treblemakers’ clothes look too casual for national competitors, though the final velvet blazers correct the initial hoodie complaint; real competition videos look better dressed.
Benji’s badly fitting jeans remain awkward under his velvet blazer, possibly deliberately expressing the character.
Luke and the radio-station plot seem cut down beyond coherence; Jesse and Beca need to bond, but the setting or boss could be replaced.
Beca’s one-C spelling is mocked as a pretentious college reinvention.
The riff-off’s word-matching disqualification rules are explained too briefly to follow clearly.
The nationals costumes still seem raggedy compared with real groups, despite some a cappella traditions of strange coordinated jackets.
Benji inexplicably works at a distant event and pursues Beca despite no established friendship, merely to uncover the high-school singer.
The singer’s mother should hide the identifying tote bag if concealing his age; his early departure is also unexplained.
Beca’s conspicuous public production equipment and awed David Guetta reference make her music hobby needlessly embarrassing.

Recasting Couch

Cameron or Zendaya as Beca; Rapp; Steinfeld; Fisher as Jesse; Rodrigo (tentative)

In the discussion (6)

Approx. transcript time · 01:01:42Read transcript

Jeremy Jordan was considered as a Jesse replacement for his singing, then withdrawn because Astin is already great.
Dove Cameron and Zendaya are proposed for Beca, with Zendaya’s fame acknowledged as a practical obstacle.
Reneé Rapp could play Aubrey, Beca or Chloe.
Steinfeld deserves a new role after being poorly served by the sequels; she is praised as talented and plausibly willing despite her fame.
Jordan Fisher is suggested as Jesse, with age concerns softened by his youthful appearance.
Olivia Rodrigo is floated under the same fame exception as Zendaya; younger Disney performers need college rather than high-school vehicles.

Casting What-Ifs

Wiig or Poehler as Gail; Larson’s audition, role uncertain

In the discussion (2)

Approx. transcript time · 01:15:35Read transcript

Gail was written for Kristen Wiig, with Amy Poehler also considered; both possibilities interest the panel, but Banks and her chemistry with Higgins are strongly supported.
Brie Larson reportedly auditioned; Beca is inferred rather than confirmed, with Aubrey also suggested. Her Scott Pilgrim coolness, try-hard quality and pop-singing background make her possible but not clearly preferable.

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Classes; Chloe’s shower; vomit-room rehearsal; audio setup; chair callback; improv versus a cappella

In the discussion (6)

Approx. transcript time · 01:46:10Read transcript

The students’ apparent lack of classes and Chloe’s presence in freshman showers are questioned.
Chloe’s upperclassman presence in the freshman showers may be explained by a hookup, but the nearly empty large dorm bathroom remains implausible.
Continuing to rehearse and bond in the vomit-covered room is disgusting and unexplained.
Beca sets up excessive audio equipment implausibly quickly; constant public practice is the joking explanation.
Dragging the chair is explained as recalling an earlier humiliating dismissal, resolving that question.
College improv is judged more awkward to attend than a cappella, despite potentially more practical skills; former improvisers’ tendency to keep mentioning it is teased, with absent Craig as the target.

Best Double Feature

Glee pilot; Neighbors; The Breakfast Club; Bring It On

In the discussion (3)

Approx. transcript time · 01:50:03Read transcript

The Glee pilot pairs naturally with the riff-off wheel’s songs-ruined-by-Glee category.
Pitch Perfect 2 is explicitly rejected as a sharp decline; Neighbors is a preferred college-comedy option, and The Breakfast Club provides a direct musical connection.
Bring It On offers competition, good music and similar energy; its newcomer actually follows team rules, unlike Beca.