Baby Driver review

Baby Driver is the latest film by Edgar Wright, and follows a getaway driver named Baby (huh) who wants out of that business.

I love Edgar Wright's films. Hot Fuzz is one of the best comedies ever made and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is one of my favourite films(I could write about it for ages). Shaun of the Dead is up there with the best romantic comedies(but nothing beats Groundhog Day). Ant-Man still remains as on of the biggest cinematic 'What if?'s that I have. My one complaint about one of his films is that it wasn't until rewatches that I truly appreciated The World's End. So when I found out about a preview screening for Baby Driver I was extremely excited.

Luckily I wasn't disappointed. I had seen a trailer before watching the film, but I wasn't really paying attention. So I'm not going to say anything that either wasn't in the trailer or the interviews with Wright, Kevin Spacey and Jamie Foxx that I watched/heard/read.

The opening scene of the film is essentially the music video for Mint Royale's Blue Song, but moved to Atlanta and without the presence of Noel Fielding's hair. After that, it goes straight into a car chase as Baby helps the bank robbers escape the scene of the crime. During this, and the next, scene anyone unfamiliar with Wright's style will be able to tell what the rest of the film will feel like. During this chase scene, the movements are synced up to the music that Baby must always listen to, and, unlike another film with Jamie Foxx in that was released this year, the camera is allowed to stay steady and follow the car through the streets of Atlanta without cuts every other second.

After the opening scene, the rest of the film mostly keeps the pace and tone, while also expanding on that tone. There are moments of comedy but, unlike Wright's other films, it never becomes a full on comedy. Instead it keeps the focus on two main story lines: Baby wanting out of Kevin Spacey's crime group, and his new relationship with a waitress played by Lily James. This second plot thread is a recurring one in Wright's work (Shaun and Liz in Shaun of the Dead, Scott and Ramona/Knives in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World), and given how it's such a large part of the film, it's really important that you believe in them as a couple. Luckily Ansel Elgort and James have enough chemistry to sell the story that is being presented to them. A lot of their early relationship plays out in a very Edgar Wright way that feels almost like a fairy tale. Despite the near-fantasy, it still feels real.

There is one major aspect of the film which I have neglected: the soundtrack. In the film, Baby has tinnitus and will always listen to music on a variety of iPods. Whenever Baby is listening to music we all hear it too, so the moments of silence are few and far between. But these silent moments are not completely silent, as the ringing in Baby's ears are implemented into the sound mix. This really helps to build his character through sound which is not created by Elgort. This is one of my favourite aspects of the film. The way it manages to create a character through isolated sound, while most films would use the actor, props or setting, is excellent.

In short: Baby Driver is yet another complete success from Edgar Wright, proving his British style transfers well to an American film.