“Baby Driver” Movie Review

I have been very excited about “Baby Driver” ever since I heard the reviews the movie got in the South by Southwest film festival, and the trailers just added onto it. And the movie doesn’t disappoint – it is probably the most fun I’ve had at the movies this year; and to be fair, there have been a few good movies this year.

The plot of “Baby Driver” is pretty straight forward – Baby (Ansel Elgort) is a young getaway driver who is forced to work for a crime boss Doc (Kevin Spacey). Once he falls for a young waitress Debora (Lily James), he wants out and has to navigate his way out of his life of crime while ensuring he doesn’t get killed by Doc and his gang of crooks (including Jamie Foxx, John Hamm and Eiza Gonzales). What adds the flavour here is that Baby suffers from tinnitus (a constant ringing in his ear) on account of a childhood accident, and has to drown out the noise with music. So, since our protagonist is perennially plugged into his iPod, the scenes are almost all set to the music he is listening to.

In “Baby Driver”, writer-director Edgar Wright focuses on the technical side of his craft, and as a result, the movie is all about the action… and the music. So, not surprisingly, the plot is probably the weakest link here. That is not to say that his writing doesn’t hold up – it is just in service of the action here, and is as slick as the proceedings warrant. Some of the best scenes are the ones without any action, and just the witty exchanges between the characters (special mentions to the scene with the Mike Myers masks, and the one with Doc’s nephew). But the main plot device, which is the romantic track, doesn’t really get you invested. It felt rushed, and I never felt any emotional connect with Debora. But it doesn’t feel out of place and blends into the proceedings, so no real harm done. It felt like slow moving traffic in an otherwise fast paced screenplay.

Edgar Wright’s writing is complemented by the excellent cast, who seem to be enjoying themselves a lot. Which is good, since it shows in the final product. Ansel Elgort is suitably mysterious, but also manages to balance the innocence and vulnerability of Baby. Kevin Spacey and Jamie Foxx seem to be doing coked up, crazier versions of their roles in “21” and “Horrible Bosses” (with a ‘kill-everything-in-site’ motto) respectively. John Hamm and Eiza Gonzales are also well cast.

But, needless to say, it is the action that this movie is all about. With amazing driving and chase sequences set to a killer soundtrack, the movie doesn’t take its foot off the gas and pretty much keeps the pace throughout. The action is grounded and realistic, despite sequences being over the top – I think the “Fast and the Furious” franchise should take some notes here. And of course, there is the music, which works so perfectly everything seems choreographed around it perfectly.

If you haven’t yet watched “Baby Driver”, race into the theatre near you and catch it. It is an action movie; it is a musical; it is a comedy – and seriously, how many movies can you say that about? With hardly a false note from the time the ignition is turned on to when it zooms to the finish line, this is a joyride from start to finish.