It feels fitting to be writing a review of Pitch Perfect 3 right after celebrating the 5th Geek Girl Pen Pals birthday celebration. Why? Because of community! Pitch Perfect is about a group of young women who over time discover the importance of their relationships with each other. This third and final installment of the movies takes to heart that message of chosen family and the support and trust we give to our chosen family as we continue to move forward in life.

Pitch Perfect 3 Review

Pitch Perfect 3 has the songs and the shenanigans. It has Gail and John trying to film a documentary about the Bellas. Who doesn’t love Gail and John? Their one-liners are so ridiculous you never know what will come out of their mouths. And that is explained further in one of the special features. John Michael Higgins says much of their improvisation much was “too dirty or simply not funny or sometimes its both.” And it has action. This movie begins with an action sequence typically found in a Fast and the Furious or XXX type movie, but with a little more Brittany Spears in typical Bella fashion.

We are also treated to an amazing riff-off, but this time, wrong or right, with musical instruments included. The musical performances are fun and bright. The music is fantastic (as is the sound on the Blu-Ray disc which is courtesy of the following specs: DTS:X/ Dolby Digital 2.0/Dolby Digital 5.1, Spanish DTS-HD High Resolution Audio 7.1, French DTS Digital Surround 5.1).  And the final performance brings on the waterworks. The emotion is palpable (and again check out the facial expressions to see how even the actors struggled to get throw that final scence, which was indeed filmed last).

Pitch Perfect is not a perfect movie. But it is a fun movie that closes out the Bella chapter for many former Bellas in a satisfying way. And through that process we are treated to fantastic facial expressions. Seriously, in that open sequence pause the discs to check out the messages conveyed through facial expressions. It’s brilliant. Also, take advantage of that disc format to pause the passport images. You can discover the birth date and place of every Bella (Area 51? Makes sense, right?).  If you enjoyed the first two movies, you’ll enjoy the third. But remember to view it for what it is – a swan song to highlight friendship and music (with a little of life’s lesson of growing up thrown in).

About Pitch Perfect 3

Now graduated from college, realizing it takes more than a cappella to get by, all the Bellas return in the final chapter in the beloved series. After the highs of winning the World Championships, the Bellas find themselves split apart and discovering there are no job prospects for making music with only your mouth. But when they get the chance to reunite for a European USO tour, this group of awesome nerds will come together to make some music, and some questionable decisions, one last time.

The Bellas are joined by all-new cast members including John Lithgow (Netflix’s “The Crown,”), Ruby Rose ( John Wick: Chapter 2, Amazon’s “Orange is the New Black”) and award-winning producer/musician DJ Khaled with Trish Sie (Step Up All In) directing the heart-warming musical comedy.

Blu-Ray Special Features

Gag reels, extended scenes, and cut scenes are fun but no where near as exciting and interesting as features that dive into specific aspects of the movie and/or the people involved in the movie.  Thankfully, Universal has included plenty of both on the DVD release.

Competition Crescendo was my favorite as it dove into the riff-off and about the other musical talent in the movie. Saddle Up is country band Whiskey Shivers, Serenity aka Andy Allo has played guitar for Prince, Charity aka Venzella Joy has drummed for Beyonce, and Veracity aka Hannah Fairlight has her own band.

Other special features include

  • The Women of Pitch Perfect 3 – With Elizabeth Banks, Trish Sie, and an all-female cast, the Pitch Perfect franchise is breaking down stereotypes and industry norms left and right. In this piece, we learn why that’s so important throughout the development and production of Pitch Perfect 3.
  • Don’t Mess with Rebel – Rebel Wilson trained with stunts coordinator, Jennifer Badger, to prefect her many stunts that we see throughout the film. In this featurette, we’ll catch a glimpse of Rebel’s training and discuss the most bad-ass stunt of all – Rebel taking down four grown men in order to save the Bellas.
  • The Headliner: DJ Khaled – We check in with cast and filmmakers to hear their reactions on the music producer/personality being brought on, how he fits into the story and the love he has for the Bellas.
  • The Final Note: John and Gail – Everyone’s favorite Talk-a-pella podcasters are back, combining their resources to produce an exclusive d’aca’mentary following the beloved classic Bellas. We discuss their far-fetched endeavor with the cast and filmmakers to better understand our favorite aca-duo.
  • Just Because He’s a Bad Guy – The cast and filmmakers were overjoyed to learn that legendary actor, John Lithgow was joining the Pitch Perfect family, and he did not disappoint! In this piece, we’ll witness how Rebel and John are two peas in a pod, making their on-screen chemistry as father and daughter truly sincere.
  • “Freedom! ’90 x Cups” Official Music Video

Pitch Perfect 3 is now available on digital, 4K Ultra HD, Blu-Ray and DVD from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.