Baby Driver could have been just another heist thriller but Director Edgar Wright had other plans. If there was ever a film outside of musicals that had a score nearly synonymous with every piece of action on the screen, this film achieves that. Both familiar and unique, Baby Driver has a heavy dose of style and substance that may have collided with an average director. Thankfully this was a passion project for Wright; one only meant for his capable hands.
The film follows Baby (Ansel Elgort), a young getaway driver who keeps himself hyper focused during high speed chases with the perfect playlist in his ears. When Baby meets Debora (Lily James), a kind waitress, he sees himself getting out of the criminal life. But Baby owes a debt to criminal mastermind Doc (Kevin Spacey), and there is one last job to pull.
It’s a plot we’ve seen before but don’t let that deter you. Within the first ten minutes were introduced to a car chase executed with only thrills, precision, and practical effects. For something that seems to be common in most blockbuster films, Baby Driver makes the titular car chase its own, and goes out all full throttle. But that’s only half of it.
What makes this different is how the soundtrack is literally set to every action in the film itself. It’s used masterfully in the action sequences, with every bullet, car maneuver, and crash set perfectly in sync to a song that compliments it. But it doesn’t stop there. The smallest actions from every step, finger tap, water drip, phone ring, quick move, dynamic look and more is set to some kind of rhythmic timing of a song or jingle. I easily found myself tapping my feet and fingers to many of tunes, and noticed many others doing the same in the theaters. There is some humor that plays off of this too and thankfully the film knows when to dial the style down for the more dramatic and serious scenes.
With all this exploration on style and music, some may question if that dilutes the overall experience. Many directors in the past have succeeded in making something cool and stylish, only to fall short in other departments like acting, story, or casting. But this is Edgar Wright we’re talking about, a master of genre bending. Even if you stripped away the overall rhythm, the specific soundtrack, and every quirky nuance present, you would still be left with a highly competent heist movie. That’s why the highly stylized elements work and there isn’t much a movie goer can ask for these days.
No film can survive if the actors aren’t up to par with the world their creating. Ansel Elgort brings his usual boyish charm but now has a rough exterior, as well as a mean stare, to play the part. You would have to with a name like “Baby”. Lily James is sweet, easy to like, and has good chemistry with the leading man. One of my only criticisms is we don’t learn enough about her in the story. Spacey is very professional and polite in his role, whether he’s planning the next heist or making not so subtle threats. It makes him more interesting and scary, fitting for a criminal mastermind. Honestly I’m just convinced that Spacey can do anything at this point. And rounding out our supporting cast is Jamie Foxx, Jon Bernthal, Eiza González, Jon Hamm, CJ Jones and Paul Willaims—all who bring their best performances. Most notably Jamie Foxx really turns the crazy up while CJ Jones brings some of most heartfelt and emotional moments.
The best thing about Baby Driver might be a shift in attitude from the audience towards the lead as an actor. If I asked anybody about Ansel Elgort most people associate him with the character Augustus Waters, his role from The Fault in our Stars. I know this because I’m guilty of it, and I was not a big fan of that film (it’s just not my cup of tea). So I’ll admit I was a bit skeptical when I saw the first trailer of Baby Driver. “There is no way Augustus Waters is going to be some cool getaway driver,” I said. I was gladly proven wrong. But this surprising revelation brings up another actor who had a similar effect on me: Ryan Gosling.
For the longest time, I only knew Gosling as “that guy from The Notebook”, another film I wasn’t a fan of. Then Gosling did a small movie called “Drive”, also about a getaway driver, and that changed my opinion on him. Now I see people, some who even disliked him as an actor, defending Gosling’s credibility using his performance from Drive as the sole answer to any argument. It may be too early to call but I have a feeling Elgort is going to get a similar treatment down the line.
If that happens it’s a weird coincidence that two actors portraying a getaway driver archetype will elevate their acting status. This could even be the start of a trend (people just like heist movies apparently). Regardless, after watching Baby Driver, I know that next time someone doubts Elgort’s acting ability I’ll be first to defend him. My sole argument: “Just watch Baby Driver. It will change your mind.”
