After reflection on my experience with Baby Driver, I am in two frames of mind. The first says this is an action-packed
thrill ride with some of the best choreography in any film I’ve seen. The car
chases, gun fights and overall pace of the film is blended with the perfect
soundtrack which really left me awestruck. The other part of me feels that this
film was more style over substance however. Edgar Wright has written and
directed two of the greatest British comedies of all time, those being
rom-zom-com Shaun of the Dead and a
film which I can almost quote word for word (trust me ask anyone of my family
members) Hot Fuzz, so I was expecting
a hilariously witty script and clever story. I was a little disappointed when
the film was not as funny as I know Edgar Wright can be. In Scott Pilgrim Versus The World, Wright
combined the art style of the comics with his own creative design and witty dialogue
to make a very funny movie. I have come to realise over time that Baby Driver is its own thing and that by
being so different to Wright’s other films, it must be commended.
Baby (Ansel Elgort) is a driver, a little on the nose I
know, but he’s the best driver the mob boss Doc (Kevin Spacey) has ever seen
and so consistently uses him as his getaway driver in heists he plans with
other criminals such as Buddy, Darling and Bats to name a few. (Jon Hamm, Eliza
González and Jamie Foxx) What makes Baby so unique as a driver is not just how
fast he goes, it’s the fact he has Tinnitus and so uses the music to drown out
the ringing in his ears but also uses it to orchestrate his own way of life.
This all changes when Baby meets Debora (Lily James), a young waitress who
shares the same dream as Baby, to drive away knowing not where they will end up
to an amazing playlist. Baby must then try to leave the world of crime behind
him, but getting out of the game is never as easy as it seems…
By starting off with a gorgeously worked action set piece
right at the beginning of the film, you know exactly what you’re in for not
even ten minutes into the film. You’re here for a no-nonsense action film that
quite rightly could, and should, give the Fast and Furious films a literal run
for their money. Everything in this film is done to music as we, the audience,
are told the story from the perspective of Baby. The music is a necessary part
of both his professional and private life. He plans getaways to music, he walks
to music, he fights to music. The fact there is a constant ringing in the
background of the film makes it clear to the audience that this is made around
the perspective of Baby. In proper Edgar Wright fashion, there are Easter eggs plastered
throughout the movie, much like in Scott
Pilgrim, but these little changes in set design really outline the psyche
of our protagonist as he lives his life through the music he uses to drown out
the ringing in his ears. Wright has created a truly loveable character through
the means of outline how he turns his weakness into his strength and passion.
Following on from this being Baby’s story, it would be
incomplete without the supporting cast. Be it Buddy’s viciousness, Bats’
madness, Debora’s singing or Flea’s … wait why was Flea in this film? That’s unfair,
as it’s his short time in the films proves to be the funniest segment. (He can just
add it to the Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ hall of movie cameos) What I’m getting at
is that this film writes all its characters well and all the actors are at
their best on screen. There are no weak performances in this film.
To conclude, this is a different sort of film for Wright.
After leaving Ant-Man back in 2015,
he has been able to give a full, undiluted demonstration of how creative he is
as a film maker. I have come to appreciate this film for what it is, a turn
your mind off action film that still wants you to pay some attention to how
clever it is. Baby Driver keeps
offering fresh perspectives when you watch it, which is why I would certainly
recommend snapping it up straight away on Blu-Ray or DVD. Where I will still
use the phrase ‘style over substance’ to describe this film, it is no means
meant as a disrespect.
8/10
