The crime thriller, "Baby Driver" is a film that hits all the right notes. Right from the start, seeing the wild life of crime that the main character, Baby, (played by Ansel Elgort), is involved in pulls in the viewer’s interest. This kind of introduction is expected from an Edgar Wright directed film. The previous film Wright directed was "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World", which he did a fantastic job in making the audience truly care about the main character. This effect is definitely present in "Baby Driver" and it's what Edgar Wright is best known for.
Right off the bat, Baby can be looked at as a person who is out of touch with his world. Being placed in this world of crime is not something he is committed to long term. Baby is simply repaying a debt to the sly crime boss Doc, (Kevin Spacey). Job after job Baby gets closer to repaying that debt, but internally, he questions the entire purpose of it all.
What makes Baby an even more captivating character is he needs the music on his iPod to help tune out the ringing that comes with his tinnitus. Wright beautifully synchronizes the music with many of the action scenes and it’s amazing to watch it play out the way it does. The music is a major part of the film not just in terms of the action, but all throughout.
Accompanied by a team on every heist, Baby is frequently surrounded by various personalities that don’t make his job any easier. From Jamie Foxx’s character, Bats, who takes any form of mental stability and gets rid of it to the present day version of Bonnie and Clyde, Buddy and Darling (John Hamm and Eiza Gonzalez). All three characters impact Baby in different ways and it is shown throughout the film that they are only concerned for themselves and anyone that gets in their way is a liability.
The opposite is true for Baby who finds himself slowly falling in love with restaurant waitress, Deborah (Lily Allen), in classic 70s crime drama fashion. Music is a major part of what makes Baby and Deborah click and what makes the on-screen chemistry between the two of them undeniable.
Baby's true nature also can be seen with how much Baby loves his adopted father who has helped him learn the skills of reading lips and speaking in sign language, which is helpful for his line of business.
The latter part of the movie plays out beautifully as you see Baby forced to make decisions that will impact not just himself, but every member of the team and his lover, Deborah. This movie has been an absolute hit at the box office making 91 million dollars domestically and 46 million overseas as of July 30th with a 34 million dollar production budget in comparison. Moreover, its popularity is not without good reason; this film will have you feeling various intense emotions until the very end.
I would definitely recommend this film to anyone who loves great music and a fantastic story to go along with it. It's going to be a real treat to see what future adventures Baby will experience in the next movie.
