“Baby Driver” combines director Edgar Wright’s unique blend of comedy and action with a top-notch cast and a thrilling soundtrack to make this one of the best films of the year so far.
As a child, Miles Baby (Elgort) is the lone survivor of a car crash with his parents and is left with a hearing impediment called “Tinnitus”, which creates a permanent ringing in his ears. To drown out the music, Baby listens to music all the time, which also raises his focus and reflexes to heightened levels.
As an adult, Baby is a skilled driver who gets mixed up with a crime boss after attempting to steal his car. To pay off his debt to Doc (Spacey), Baby works as a getaway driver for a series of heists. As he meets a beautiful waitress and gets closer to fulfilling his obligation, Baby agrees to do one last job in the hopes of leaving the criminal life behind him.
“Baby Driver” premiered at South By Southwest and has been nothing but praised leading up to the release date. After seeing this film, I was very excited to have found an above average summer movie that lived up to every bit of the hype it has received. It’s fast, clever, and features a soundtrack reminiscent of a film like “Guardians of the Galaxy.”
As a somewhat awkward, eccentric and handicapped character, Ansel Elgort’s performance of Baby is hands down the best of the film. He’s an amazing driver, he loves music, and he records his everyday conversations with people to take home and create his own audio remixes. In addition to Elgort, the film boasts a strong supporting cast that includes Lily James, Kevin Spacey, Jon Hamm, Jon Bernthal, Eiza Gonzalez, and Jamie Foxx.
The soundtrack includes three original songs and more than a handful of various artists from a range of decades. Some of these include Blur, Run the Jewels, Sky Ferreira, Queen and more. While every film has some sort of soundtrack that serves as general support or background, this film features it as a powerful tool to enhance the action and overall experience.
English director and screenwriter, Edgar Wright, has made a variety of films that consist of different genres that usually involve comedy, horror, sci-fi, action or a combination of the bunch. He is likely best known for films such as “Shaun of the Dead,” “Hot Fuzz,” “The World’s End,” and “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.” While all of his films offer something a bit different and generally out of the box, “Baby Driver” may very well be his best.
Most summer films involve massive special effects or something with superheroes, so it’s rare to find one this time of year that could truly hold its own come award season. While some of the violence and language isn’t for everyone, I highly recommend this film for most audiences looking for a solid action-comedy that’s a great deal of fun all around.
4.5 out of 5 stars.
“Baby Driver” is rated R for violence and language throughout. Running time is 1 hour and 53 minutes.
Hayden Pittman is a special contributor to WFAA.com and a freelance writer, photographer/videographer, and filmmaker in Dallas, TX. You can find more of his work on Selig Film News. He is a film, TV, and sports enthusiast, and when he is not reviewing movies, Hayden works in film production. Don't like what he has to say? Let him know at hpittman87@gmail.com, find him on Facebook, or follow him on Twitter at @HPMoviePitt. Enjoy the movies!
