'Baby Driver' Review

Image from Screen Rant

By Diego Coya

            Baby Driver is written and directed by Edgar Wright and has an all-star cast which include: Ansel Elgort, Kevin Spacey, Lily James, Jon Hamm, and Jamie Foxx. The film tells the story of a character named Baby, who is a getaway driver for an organization of bank robbers. He is highly known for being the best getaway driver there is and he also listens to his music 24/7. As time goes on, Baby realizes that this business is not what he really wants and tries to quit the business for good. Baby eventually meets Lily, a lovely waitress whom he connects with and falls for, from then on, things start going south and we have an incredibly unique film.

            The reason why Baby Driver was one of my most anticipated films of the summer is because of Edgar Wright; I have loved every film he has done thus far, his movies are innovative, original, and different than most movies out there. The trailers also looked fantastic, which made me more hyped to see what Edgar Wright had in store for the audience. Having seen the film, I can safely say that films like Baby Driver make me realize why I love movies so much. Baby Driver is one of the best action movies I have seen in a very long time, and Edgar Wright’s directing style makes it all the merrier.

            The direction from Edgar Wright is nothing short than amazing. The car chase sequences are without question some of the best chase sequences I have ever seen in a film. They are intense, exciting, and so well done; a lot of the chases look like practical effects and if that is the case, then that makes them even greater. Additionally, the action scenes are so stylish to the point where the viewer is able to see Edgar Wright’s fingerprints throughout the film. There is an insane amount of style in this film, but it never is style over substance. The cinematography is also outstanding; it truly is a neat looking film.

            As far as performances go, everyone is on the top of their game. Even though I was excited to see this film, I was somewhat skeptical about Ansel Elgort. Not because he is a bad actor, but because I wasn’t sure how well he would fit the role of a getaway driver. I am so happy to report that I was ever so wrong in having my doubts because Elgort really shined in his role. Even though he does not have much dialogue, he was still a subtle, charismatic, and a likeable lead role. There are some scenes that require some dramatic moments from him since we learn about his backstory. Elgort really pulled it off and I give him major props.

            Lily James was a terrific supporting role; I though the romance between her character and Elgort’s was really sweet and charming. Furthermore, they had great chemistry. Kevin Spacey was also superb in his performance; Spacey is arguably the greatest actor working today since the man can simply do no wrong. However, my favorite performances in the film are Jamie Foxx and Jon Hamm. Both gave a phenomenal performance as people who are insane but have likeability to them. Even though the majority of the characters in the film are criminals, the viewer isn’t able to help but feel engaged to the characters throughout.

            And of course, the soundtrack must be mentioned; it is without question, the absolute best soundtrack of the entire year. The soundtrack has songs from the 60s, 70s, and 80s, and honestly I absolutely loved every song in the soundtrack. Edgar Wright utilizes the songs in an incredibly stylish way; a lot of the action scenes are in sync with whatever song is playing during a specific scene. Like most of Edgar Wright’s films, this is so self-aware of what it is, and you can’t help but be so amazed by the film. As far as flaws go, if I had to pick one it’s that the romance felt a tad bit rushed, but other than that, Baby Driver is a film that I absolutely implore everyone need to go see. People should support great and fantastic films like these, and Edgar Wright should never stop making movies!

Rating: 10/10