Originally published July 4, 2017. Updated April 16, 2018.
Baby Driver, 2017.
Directed by Edgar Wright.
Starring Ansel Elgort, Kevin Spacey, Jon Hamm, Lily James, Jon Bernthal, Eiza Gonzalez, CJ Jones and Jamie Foxx.
SYNOPSIS:
After being coerced into working for a crime boss, a young getaway driver finds himself taking part in a heist doomed to fail.
To say that Baby Driver is a sublime piece of filmmaking is an understatement. Sitting at the back of Edgar Wright’s mind for many years, it’s finally come to light after his disappointing and bitter exit from Ant Man. Baby Driver is Wright at his finest; it’s a car chase movie and a musical rolled into one.
Baby (Elgort) has been stuck working as a getaway driver for local crime boss Doc (Spacey) since he was a kid and he can’t wait to escape. Baby suffers from tinnitus and plays music constantly to drown out the “hum in the drum”. After meeting diner waitress Debora (James), Baby thinks he can get away from his old life but is continually dragged back into it. Baby Driver is a visual feast that has one of the best and most lovingly put together soundtracks that I’ve heard since Guardians of the Galaxy.
Elgort is perfect in the titular role and is able to hold his own against heavyweights like Spacey, Hamm and Foxx. He has the boyish charm required for the character and is also believable as the uber talented getaway driver with more tricks up his sleeve then you can imagine. With the addition of a stellar supporting cast (Foxx is truly exceptional as the unhinged criminal Bats) and a sharp witted script, Baby Driver is one of the most original films I’ve seen in years. Whilst it is clearly influenced by True Romance, The Driver and Bonnie & Clyde, it still has its own identity and Edgar Wright’s style has never shone brighter. It’s also a ton of fun to watch.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Helen Murdoch
