Baby Driver
(2017)All you need is one killer track.
A young getaway driver (Ansel Elgort, The Fault in Our Stars) finds himself taking part in a heist doomed to fail in this musical crime comedy from Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz). Co-stars Lily James, Kevin Spacey, Jamie Foxx and Jon Hamm.
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Directed by Edgar Wright ('Shaun of the Dead', 'Hot Fuzz', 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World')
Starring Ansel Elgort, Lily James, Kevin Spacey, Jon Hamm, Jamie Foxx, Jon Bernthal, Eiza González, Sky Ferreira
Written by Edgar Wright
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Baby Driver
BY fairbrother lister
BY silentbob88 superstar
Right from the opening sequence and killer soundtrack I was strapped in for this fun ride! Story arc was good, character development on point (Jamie Foxx was a bit of a scene stealer for me, and I ain't his biggest fan) and I left very entertained and satisfied. Special shout out to Ed for including Brighton Rock, (Queen) and Know How,(Young MC) what a blast from the past!! loved every minute of it!!
BY FaithA13 nobody
What unfolds is a series of thrilling car chase scenes that leave a lump in your throat and provide edge of your seat anxiety, each perfectly crafted to Baby's personalised soundtrack. With songs ranging from Beck to The Beach Boys, the film hums to an infectious rhythm... More that you'll have a hard time to stop yourself from smiling about. Each scene becomes even more impressive once you remember they were actually performed with real cars and real stunt drivers.
And then everything, of course, quickly goes to crap.
Tied to the ring of criminals by a past mistake, Baby is very much the sore thumb of the bunch. Equal parts endearing and morally questionable, he takes the film from a classic bank heist to a musical-esque action thriller. We quickly realise Baby is never going to escape the firm grip of Doc and can only look on in horror as his fate grows far more sinister.
At first, I'll admit I didn't really get what the fuss was all about. In the first fifteen minutes Baby's 'quirks' are laid on super thick, his dancing in the street coming across as more cringey music geek than cool getaway driver. That is until the first shootout scene, choreographed to that drinking song we all know and love, 'Tequila' (watch the trailer below). As the team makes their fiery escape, Bats perfectly timed line gives the movie the edge I had been waiting for. I finally start to ease into my seat.
The film is full of Wright motifs, the classic quick cut montage and witty one liners, similar enough to his previous works to make a mark but different enough to keep it feeling fresh.
If anything is disappointing it's the hollow back story of Baby's love interest, Debra. The chemistry between Baby and Debra is electric - at one point they are practically melting over each other at the dinner table with affection. But we never really learn too much about his sweet-as-pie-diner waitress except for the fact that she looked after her sick mum and sometimes does her laundry. We never understand why she's so willing to run away with a serial murdering thief that she just happened to have met. But maybe that kind of plot history is too much to ask.
In the end, there's no denying that Baby Driver is worth seeing. Whether simply for the soundtrack or the car chases, everyone will be able to find something to sink their teeth in to. It definitely has its misses, most notably vague character motivations and a shaky introduction, but it finds its own ways to smooth it all over.Hide
BY adamatdramatrain superstar
Like those 70s genre flicks, the very un-PC machismo may grate with modern viewers. Wright’s lens just loves the guns, the girls, the vehicular mayhem and badass... More blokes. The dialogue crackles like an old school crime movie, and the cast clearly have a ball. Featuring top notch performances by Kevin Spacey, Jamie Foxx, Jon Hamm, Lily James and Jon Bernthal, with Elgort oozing the required amounts of cool and cocky in the lead.
Undeniably fast and furious fun, Baby Driver is far more than just a series of superbly realised music videos haphazardly strung together. It has a story, heart and characters, but the throwback 70s vibe is problematic for anyone disturbed by an unquestioning machismo fetishizing of crime, violence and firearms.
Approached with Tarantino-style irony and enjoyed as a genre pastiche/homage, Baby Driver is a cool crime caper, in which the beat takes front seat and Wright’s directing skills are unleashed in a largely non-CGI, real stunts treat that rocks, rolls, shimmies, shakes and rarely applies the brakes.Hide
Showing 4 of 4 reviews. See all reviews
The Press Reviews
Plays out like blasting your coolest friend's record collection in your car at 100 mph on the Atlanta freeway while cops close in on all sides - essentially what happens in the movie again and again, to always-riveting effect. Full Review
Like all Edgar Wright movies, "Baby Driver" is a blast, featuring wall-to-wall music and a surfeit of inspired ideas. But it's also something of a mess... Full Review
A sweet and speed-crazed crime film you can dance to. Full Review
DON'T THINK - JUST GO SEE IT. Full Review
One long shredding guitar solo of a film. Full Review
Baby Driver is sweet fantasy, unlike more violent and existential vehicular visions such as Drive or Bullitt. That means its two-bit thieves and criminal masterminds (Jamie Foxx, Jon Hamm, Kevin Spacey) are enjoyably cartoonish. Full Review
This is movie craftsmanship and showmanship of a very high order. Full Review
It's funny, exhilarating and entertaining, and definitely worth the ride. Full Review
A film that was trying way too hard to be cool. And as everybody knows, there's nothing less cool than that. Full Review
BY Tony Stamp Flicks Writer
You might know the feeling: you’re walking along, ear buds in, enjoying a favourite song. Before long your pace is in time with the beat, and your surroundings start to feel in sync with the music. That’s the concept behind Baby Driver, told from the perspective of someone whose buds never leave his ears, and who’s less likely to be walking than driving away from a bank heist.... More
The idea isn’t totally fresh, but it’s realised with passion and attention to detail. Most scenes are choreographed to music but the effect is more subtle than gimmicky, receding into the background as the story takes hold.
And it’s a great story, if strangely old-fashioned. Writer/ Director Edgar Wright has had the idea in his head for twenty years, which feels apparent in a few Tarantino-esque moments. Luckily Jamie Foxx and Jon Hamm are damn good at spouting tough-guy dialogue, and when it comes to snappy wordplay, Wright is as sharp as QT himself.
Plus, Ansel Elgort is charming as heck as Baby. He’s in way over his head, but he’s still a cocky little bastard.
The best thing about Baby Driver turns out to be its modest scale, favouring CGI-free action scenes filmed in broad daylight that feel downright refreshing. It also features a fantastic selection of songs courtesy of a director with an impeccable track record, who seems to enjoy seeing the world refracted through music as much as his main character.Hide
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