One month and 13 years ago, the fan-favorite film “Pitch Perfect” premiered in Los Angeles. Today, it is a franchise enjoyed by acapella-lovers and comedy-lovers alike.
On the surface, “Pitch Perfect” is about the main character, Beca, finding herself in university and joining her university’s all-woman acapella group, The Barden Bellas, break away from the shackles of tradition. However, at its heart, this iconic movie is also about embracing the “weird kid” within.
Many viewers that enjoy this movie see themselves in these characters on a deeper level than simply being someone that is feeling lost in a new environment. Rather, these watchers are often ones that have deep attachments within fandoms that are deemed strange by others. To them, being a part of a fandom is more than simply enjoying a show, musical or game — it’s a passion rooted in a sense of community and belonging. Due to the “unconventional” nature of these interests, some opt to hide this part of themselves online in order to fit into the “real world.”
A lot of people struggle to find a place where they can let their interests truly shine without fear. If viewers grew up being judged for their interests, it could be difficult to put themselves out there once again. Kids that were laughed at for pretending to be a “Warrior Cat” on the playground, judged for drawing “Hamilton” fanart or ostracized for liking any other “unconventional” interest may have a difficult time putting themselves out there when trying to be a part of a community with similar interests as them, especially at a place like university.
However, “Pitch Perfect” teaches these viewers to be unabashedly themselves, and that community exists everywhere if one is brave enough to look for it.
Viewers similar to Beca may feel like they are above “being weird” even though they may have the same interests as those that they judge. Thanks to “Pitch Perfect,” they can come to realize that the judgment is a cover-up for the jealousy that others can feel comfortable enough to be themselves in public without feeling any sort of shame.
Watchers that find themselves aligning with Amy could be afraid that they are too overbearing and may be shunned by their own community because of it. However, this movie teaches them to not care what others think, and they can find people that will love all of them.
The list could go on and on. Those that feel like Audrey may be afraid to deviate from the normativity of society, because it’s what they know and they feel safe in it, but just because it’s safe doesn’t mean it’s perfect for them. And those that feel like Lilly can learn that even if they are shy, putting themselves out there can help them find people that will appreciate them and include them wholeheartedly.
The characters in “Pitch Perfect” teach viewers to embrace the inner “weird kid” within because they deserve it (and maybe also give that kid a hug or two).
Verdict: “Pitch Perfect” is a piece of media to watch going into the new school year, because, at its core, it is a story of letting your “weird kid” shine. Even if a viewer isn’t immediately drawn to media surrounding acapella or in the comedy genre, this movie is definitely worth a try. This could very well become a new guilty pleasure.
