'Pitch Perfect' Looks Like a Younger, Groovier 'Bridesmaids'

It's surprising that Hollywood has taken this long to bring a cappella mania to the big screen -- especially with the success of NBC's reality competition The Sing-Off -- but based on its first trailer, Pitch Perfect looks to have been well worth the wait.

our editor recommends

'Bridesmaids' Director in Talks for Reese Witherspoon Comedy 'Wish List' (Exclusive)

'The Glee Project' Season 2 Premiere: Who's the Early Favorite?

NBC plans to bring back 'Sing Off'

The inspiration here is that the movie brings a female-centric, lightly raunchy spin to the material that owes more than a little DNA to Bridesmaids. Not surprising, then, to see scene-stealing Aussie comic Rebel Wilson, who played Kristen Wiig's roommate in the latter, featured heavily here as "Fat Amy," the group's balls-to-the-wall comic relief.

PHOTOS: Broadway Musicals That Have Sung Their Way to the Big Screen 

The story, from a script by 30 Rock vet Kay Cannon loaded with sharp, darkly observed one-liners ("Welcome to Barton University. Here's your official B.U. rape whistle."), revolves around frosh student Beca (Anna Kendrick) being cajoled into joining The Bellas -- an all-girls singing group with a musty repertoire.

Reluctant at first, Beca gives The Bellas a much-needed injection of vitality, and it's not long before the group is facing down their all-male rivals in an empty swimming pool for an 8 Mile-style "riff-off" performance of Blackstreet's "No Diggity."

There's a risk here that audiences could be burned out on stories revolving around campus-set performance competitions -- dozens of "regionals" episodes of Glee will do that -- but the material here seems original enough, and more importantly funny enough, to stand on its own. If anything, Pitch Perfect looks to be less of a big-screen Glee than it does a younger, groovier Bridesmaids.

And while Kendrick, at 26, is admittedly a little old to be playing a college freshman, the always appealing actress may have found her best starring vehicle since 2009's Up in the Air.