Director Edgar Wright
Genre Action | Crime | Thriller
Cast Ansel Elgort, Kevin Spacey, Jamie Foxx, Jon Hamm
Rating R
Release Date June 28th, 2017
“After being coerced into working for a crime boss, a young getaway driver finds himself taking part in a heist doomed to fail.”
Written and directed by the talented Edgar Wright, the man behind Shaun of the Dead, Hott Fuzz, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, and The World's End, Baby Driver is a crime thriller that is much more than meets the eye. Critics have been absolutely ecstatic ever since they were allowed pre-release screenings, which just enhanced the ridiculous amount of excitement I already had for this movie. The cast includes Ansel Elgort, Kevin Spacey, Jamie Foxx, Jon Hamm, Jon Bernthal, Eiza González, and Lily James.
Taking full advantage of an epic soundtrack, Baby Driver is a rare combination of originality, smart writing, and sheer directorial talent. I can honestly say that my heart was beating right along with a few of the drum solos, and I felt the rush of adrenaline induced during each and every escape. My expectations going in were quite high, and I was truly impressed by the fact that even though I watched 3 or 4 high quality trailers prior to the release, I still felt like they were only a small glimpse of the full experience. So it is safe to say that my expectations were exceeded! Baby Driver shuns the conventional idea of a film falling easily into a certain genre, providing viewers a heist thriller that blends comedy, romance, growing pains, and above all else a big heart. As crazy as it gets at times, and it does get pretty wild, Baby Driver never strays too far from reality. I was actually a bit surprised by how gritty and violent it was at times, making it very clear why it earned the R-rating. Critics have been gushing about the film’s ability to sync the action with the soundtrack, and I was really interested to see how that played out, and man was it cool. A few of the more pivotal shootout scenes match up each gun blast with the beat, and it is downright exhilarating (as Jamie Foxx says in the movie, Tequila!). I also need to point out that Baby Driver has some of the best car chases in recent memory, giving films like Heat and The Bourne Identity a run for their money. I read that 95% of the stunts are genuinely performed, with only about 5% CGI used for some of the necessary touch-up.
Throughout Baby Driver you will notice various stylistic directing techniques utilized by Wright (he is a whiz behind the camera), so much so that I will need to watch this again soon just so I'm able to fully appreciate what he was able to accomplish here. The traditional old school romance that Wright is able to create for Baby (Elgort) and his love interest, played by Lily James, feels genuine and timeless, and also somehow effortless all at the same time. I read in an article that Wright worked hard to ensure that the romance was captivating for the audience, which was one of his primary goals with the film in terms of the overall backstory, and he certainly hit the nail on the head. I have a great deal of respect for Edgar Wright as a director, and I feel that he genuinely takes pride in his work. I actually met Wright 6 years or so ago in Kennebunkport, Maine. Full disclosure, I'm using the term "met" very loosely as I was a valet at the high end hotel he was staying at with actress and Maine native Anna Kendrick (they were an item at one point), and I assisted them with their luggage when they departed. Even though they only tipped me $10, it was still a pretty cool experience (I would have at least broken even with this movie if not for damn movie theater ticket price increases).
The cast that was assembled for Baby Driver is absolutely fantastic. Veteran actor Jamie Fox makes a huge impact in a supporting role. His Bats character is the epitome of what a sociopath looks like without the camouflage,- he wants people to know he's crazy. I loved every minute of his scenes. Jon Bernthal, who many remember as Shane from the earlier seasons of The Walking Dead, plays a brief but impactful role as well. Similar to Bats, he has quite a few screws loose, but the ability to trust or play well with others seems to be his most glaring weakness. Mad Men actor Jon Hamm is a man of many emotions, and I really enjoyed the complexity of his character. He is a truly talented actor and it shows. Kevin Spacey takes a break from House of Cards, and is great as always, taking command as the leader of the group. His character demands respect and he gets it. The sexy and ruthless Eiza González will undoubtedly steal a few hearts with her rebellious yet fun loving character, Darling. This was her first big role, and I think she handled it very, very well. One scene in particular has her going all kamikaze with two automatic weapons, and I can't seem to get this glorious image out of my head (this is a good thing by the way). Last but certainly not least, the star that anchors it all is The Fault in Our Stars actor Ansel Elgort. Unusually tall for an actor at around 6'3 or 6'4 (basically 4 times the size of Tom Cruise), Elgort delivers what I feel is a breakout role for him. He was amazing in The Fault in Our Stars, which I will fully admit was a tear-jerker, but the fact of the matter is only a certain segmented audience watched that film. Baby Driver should reach a much broader audience with the appeal of originality, as well as Edgar Wright's usual following, which will hopefully help significantly improve Elgort's fan base. The depth of his character is a unique experience in and of itself, and I think the audience will find themselves rooting for him to succeed very early on.
Baby Driver is an undeniably unique experience, fueled by humor and adrenaline. It feels almost like a music video transformed into a feature-length film, while somehow managing to combine pretty much everything viewers have an insatiable appetite for. The thing that blows my mind the mostabout Baby Driver is the fact that not only do so many different elements work extremely well, they come together seamlessly to create a final product that has to be seen to be appreciated. I understand that people tend to be he somewhat skeptical when critics universally rave about a film like they are with Baby Driver, but trust me when I say this is a work of art that each and every movie fan needs to experience. Highly recommended.
