Edgar Wright’s Baby Driver is a lot of fun. Style, action and a memorable soundtrack make for a most enjoyable movie.
Baby is the best getaway driver in the business. He is being coerced into carrying out jobs by a crime boss, who is intent on hitting as many targets as possible. However, Baby dreams of escaping after meeting waitress Debora…
Written and directed by Edgar Wright, Baby Driver‘s high-concept premise rendered into a genuinely fun picture. The film does rely on genre conventions, yet it is a slick production with a lot of energy. The narrative follows certain beats. The plot is geared towards a final heist, after which Baby will be free. As expected, things do not go to plan.
Baby Driver is a humorous and good-natured picture until things start to go sour. Nevertheless, Wright is careful to place the horror of violence early on. The film is a moral tale but one which makes you root for the protagonist, even when things are sliding out of control. Wright makes some smart moves, setting up an array of antagonists for Baby. It is unclear who the final antagonist will be, and the film is better for this sense of unpredictability.
The soundtrack is a pivotal aspect of the film, and it does not disappoint. The music is varied, but always feels like an appropriate accompaniment to the on-screen action. There are some finely executed set pieces, aided by Jonathan Amos and Paul Machliss’ brilliant editing. The editing is responsible for much of the film’s style, and should be lauded as such.
Ansel Elgort delivers a wonderful performance as Baby. He is delightfully awkward at times, and his giddy excitement really taps into the adolescence of the character. Jon Hamm is great, whilst Kevin Spacey and Jamie Foxx seem to be having fun in their archetypal roles. Lily James is well cast as Debora.
Baby Driver will undoubtedly be one of the most fun rides of the summer. Edgar Wright once again shows he knows what makes a broadly appealing film.
I Heart The Talkies 