"Baby Driver" Movie Review

By: James Southworth
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

If there's any director out there that has a consistency for making incredibly fun movies which also have dynamic characters and interesting plots, it's Edgar Wright. I've loved pretty much all of his movies, especially "Hot Fuzz" and "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World". He's made movies that are considered cult classics, and is an overall respected director. So, expectations were high for "Baby Driver", especially as it continued to get positive critical and audience buzz. And boy, let me tell you, it did not disappoint. The plot revolves around main character Baby, who has to work for crime boss Doc in order to pay off some sort of debt. However, when Baby meets a girl named Debora, he falls for her and wants to get out of the crime business. But, there is one final heist he has to do, and as things unfold it looks like Baby and Debora could both be in danger.

This movie absolutely delivered, and it even exceeded my expectations. Let's talk about the production values of the film first. Man, does Wright know how to direct! From the beginning shot of this film, you're thrown right in and are immediately interested with what is happening in this movie. This film is beautifully shot from beginning to end. The production value can't possibly be talked about without also mentioning the music score. This is one of THE absolute best music scores I've heard in a movie. The songs all work well with whatever is going on, with the music styles varying from classic rock to dubstep/rap. There are a variety of tracks, and they are all a joy to listen to. It was a genius move on Wright's part to build the movie around the soundtrack; the music is pretty much its own character. Every action scene here is coordinated to time perfectly with the music. There's this one delightful gun battle where the gun shots go along with the drumbeat of the music, making for a wild mixture that works beautifully. The first robbery scene also works immensely well with the music chosen, as it makes the tone a bit more lighthearted. Music is a major part of this movie, as it is a huge part of Baby's life. In that way, Wright gets us into the same mentality as Baby, which is a clever move. I love every action scene of this movie as well, as there are a lot of white-knuckled car chase scenes. Action hasn't felt so fun yet so intense to me in a long time. 

Another thing this film did immensely well was juggling between tones. If there was a movie tonally I could compare this film to this year, it would be "Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2". I feel like that movie often had a hard time balancing comedy with drama, with neither element completely delivering. Wright, on the other hand, knew exactly how to balance these two differing tones. There are some excellent punchlines in this movie that had me cracking up. There were also many clever visual jokes, probably some that I even missed because of how fast they were all going by. This movie also had some great drama. The audience felt for Baby, and was able to see him as a person who is a victim of unlucky circumstances. I could understand his struggles. I could even sympathize with the main villain of the movie, as he actually has someone he cares for as well. The tonal shifts in this movie could've definitely been off-putting if they hadn't been done right. Instead, they felt natural, and the way comedy moved into drama and vice versa is well-paced.

The acting in this film is top notch. Every cast member here delivers. Ansel Elgort as Baby surprised me especially. I've not been a big fan of him in the past (I personally thought he was weak in both "The Fault in Our Stars" and the Divergent movies, though that wasn't entirely his fault). In fact, I was worried he could bring the movie down. But instead, he's a highlight, creating an entirely sympathetic main character. I like following this guy, as there are enough odd things about him to make him compelling, and enough of a good backstory for me to feel for him. Baby is fully realized and fleshed out, and he has a clear character arc that works in context of the movie. I would not complain for a sequel just to follow Baby again. Kevin Spacey is predictably excellent as Doc. Spacey has this knack to dominate whatever scene he's in without even trying. The way he portrays his character in this movie made me want to take in every word he was saying and latch on to them. He is the one often telling some backstory stuff about Baby, and it is always interesting. I like how Spacey brings a mysterious quality to the character, making the audience wonder whether he is trustworthy or not. Jamie Foxx as Bats blew me away; he was easily my favorite part of the whole movie. His character is incredibly menacing, as Foxx portrays him as someone who could go insane at any moment. I could feel the menace in this character. But he also has some of the best punchlines, and Foxx's delivery of those jokes are always perfectly executed. Jon Hamm has a similar excellent turn as Buddy. He is pretty much as good as Foxx, perfectly making his character go from someone who seems smooth and confident to someone who is absolutely crazy and vengeful. Lily James gives an understated performance as Debora. I like how grounded she makes the character. She is the perfect antithesis to Baby's crazy criminal life. James gave Debora a sweet and emotional backbone, and because of that, I rooted for her to be with Baby. Jon Bernthal and Eiza Gonzalez both sadly didn't have a lot to do, but they still give it their all and also have great work.

The one problem I have with this film is more of a small nitpick. There was a point in the movie where I felt like the love story of Baby and Debora went on a little too long. For just a few minutes or so there, I lost a bit of interest in the movie. But, it picked up very quickly, and I soon found reason to care for these characters' relationship. "Baby Driver" overall met my expectations, and definitely exceeded them. With a killer soundtrack, superb production value, and a dynamic cast who play interesting characters, you don't want to miss this movie. It's the most fun I've had at a film for a long time, and you'd have to be heartless to not enjoy at least some part of it!