Baby Driver (2017) is an action-crime film that follows a young man, Baby, a getaway driver, who wants to have a normal life.
The movie features many notable actors: Ansel Elgort from The Fault in Our Stars, Eiza González, Mexican Actress and Singer, Kevin Spacey known from House of Cards, American Beauty, and more, Jamie Foxx, standup comedian and musician, Jon Hamm, star of Mad Men, and Lily James, who was an on-and-off actor on Downton Abby.
The film was directed and written by Edgar Wright, known for Shaun of the Dead (2004), Hot Fuzz (2007), Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010), and The World's End (2013). Wright's films are written with extreme precision and attention to character development, comedic effect, and how scenes function. In Baby Driver, Wright's film expertise amazed me and reeled me in the theaters to see it a total of three times during the opening month.
The Amazing Soundtrack
Most movies try to have a killer soundtrack, but Baby Driver really hit it out of the park(ing lot). The soundtrack featured songs from various decades and styles, with artists such as Queen, Run the Jewels, Blur, T.Rex, Simon & Garfunkel, and more. Along with having an amazing soundtrack, the producers deliberately sync movements, gunshots, and lips with the music that is being played.
There are scenes in the film where the lyrics of the songs appear through graffiti as Baby and the audience hear the words being sung. This careful attention to detail makes the soundtrack feel alive, and just as important as what is happening on the screen. It also gave me an even closer connection to the characters, especially Baby and his friend Debora (played by Lily James), hearing what the characters are listening to.
Baby also makes a point during the film that he has several different iPods for different moods, such as a bejeweled one for his more soft tunes. Many people are to thank for this amazing cooperation of music and film such as Ryan Heffington, Bill Pope, and Steven Price.
Oh and by the way: yes! The entire soundtrack is on Spotify.
The Powerful Storyline
Strong family values bleed through Baby as he mentions constantly how much he cares about his late Mother and her legacy. This is represented through his body language shifting whenever she is brought up, and the risk that he takes to keep her legacy alive.
Lily James, who played Debora, surprised me with her charm and soul during the film. Baby and Debora first meet at a diner, where they bonded over music and their hate for working. The second that I first saw the two together, I believed in true love again. I could see the power in their eyes when they looked at each other, their wit, and knew that I wanted them to be together, and officially put me on team Debora+Baby. This compassionate couple fights the entire movie to be together, and really gave us a viewing of who Baby was under the metaphorical robber mask and driving gloves.
The Action-Filled Joyride
In between all of the romance, musical jams, and cups of black coffee, there are exciting action scenes that constantly kept me on the edge of my seat. Even though the action scenes are sparse, especially as the film builds up, Wright builds the scenes in unique and clever ways. Baby is seen switching cars when out of police views, driving the car on its side, pushing cars with other cars, avoiding police, and using his silent wit to fuel the film. Compared to other action films released during the Summer, Baby Driver replaced quantity with quality, to leave the audience feeling fulfilled and scared of every character by the end. Along with the action scenes, the way that Wright implements plot twists keeps the audience engaged, and makes the last hour of the film fly by.
Baby Driver is now on my all-time favorite movies and I can't wait to see it again when it is released on October 10th.
If you are a student at the University of New Hampshire, Campus Activities Board will be playing at 7 pm and 9:30 pm on October 19th, 20th, and 21st. So bring a friend, and enjoy one of the best movies of the Summer! Buy tickets here: https://unhmub.universitytickets.com/w/default.asp...
