Pitch Perfect

I should have hated this. A mash-up of the worst that The X Factor, Glee and Step Up (instead of a dance-off, there's a sing-off) has to offer, Pitch Perfect is a surprising success. Why? Because of the steady stream of quality one-liners from 30 Rock's Kay Cannon.

Beca (a likeable Kendrick) has agreed with daddy that she will attend Barden but what she really wants to do is produce music. Despite initial resistance, she joins the a cappella group The Bellas, run by Chloe (Snow) and Aubrey (Camp), who are in furious competition with one of Barden's other groups, The Treblemakers. Hatred for the Treblemakers has Beca forced to sign a pact that she will never be with any of the group, which proves tough when the charming Jesse (Astin) looms into view.

The relentless music keeps things bouncy throughout. The likes of Ace Of Base, Bruno Mars and the usual 80s suspects get an airing but the soundtrack is heavy with David Guetta and his EDM chums. The songs are flicked through with the speed of a teen's impatient thumb on the iPod; if you don't like this song, there will be another one in a moment.

The romance with Jesse needed polishing, the love triangle (Beca has the hots for the campus DJ) is undercooked and there are fabricated character developments: Kendrick's late admission of "I've always been one of those girls who never had girls for friends," and Jesse's accusation of "You push away anyone who can care about you," come as a complete surprise when they pop up. Plus, is it really a cappella if there's a backing track?

But Pitch Perfect is funny. Rebel Wilson's Fat Amy (allowed to ad lib again) and Hana Mae Lee's creepy Asian girl keep the gags coming while Elizabeth Banks and John Michael Higgins delight as the commentating duo we've seen in The Muppets, Best In Show and Dodgeball (whom they are commentating for is a mystery, however).

Kendricks' Beca likes to take bits from different tracks and push them together to come up with something new and fun. Pitch Perfect's magpie plot doesn't quite pull off the 'new' but it's certainly got the 'fun' down pat.