Funny but Problematic

Rating: 5/10 (6 June 2015)

Great film aside from the racism (against Asians), sexism (slut shaming), and homophobia (against lesbians). Let's start with the racism - the Asian roommate almost never speaks, only has Asian friends, calls the main character "white girl", and is the only one (along with her friends) depicted playing video games. The Asian character that is in the "Bellas" speaks so softly you can't hear her, and says she ate her twin in the womb. The only possible joke here is one based on the stereotype of Asians as meek, and it is both unfunny and confusing.
Next, the sexism. The film focuses on women in a largely positive light, but there are still harmful undertones lurking throughout. Women are kicked out of their troupe for having sex with members of competing troupes, but the men are not subject to the same punishment. This could just be an over the top description of reality (and fits the troupe leader's character), but when coupled with the remaining character who "has sex a lot" and admits it as if it is a bad thing, it seems more problematic.
Finally the homophobia. Really not a fear of gays, but rather a distasteful mocking of them. The members of the troupe are constantly wondering if the character played by the black actress is a ~lesbian~ like it is some taboo subject and something to laugh at. Then, when she admits that she has a gambling problem, and later reveals she is a lesbian, the other characters seem to get some type of weird joy like "OMG we knew she was gay the whole time!" Literally the whole (unfunny and dragged out) joke was that this character was lesbian. Ha. Ha.
The rest of the movie was pretty funny. Without these three unfunny, problematic, and hurtful lines of "comedy", I would probably rate it as an 8/10.