Directed by Edgar Wright
Starring Ansel Engort, Kevin Spacey, and Lily James
It's nice to know in summers filled with sequels, reboots, and remakes we can still get films that are original and well-made. As of right now, Edgar Wright's Baby Driver is not just a highlight for this summer season of films, it's a highlight among this year's films.
Baby (Engort) is a getaway driver, in the debt of a criminal kingpin named Doc (Spacey). What makes Baby so special is he suffers from tinnitus in his ears, so he listens to music while he drives, sharpening his focus and making him the absolute best.
After Baby fulfills his debt to Doc, he seeks to live a life free of crime and strikes up a relationship with a waitress named Debora (James). Unfortunately Doc pulls him back in for one more job, which will give him enough money to start a new life with Debora. Doc assembles his crew with Baby and other criminals-for-hire (Jon Hamm, Eiza Gonzalez, and Jamie Foxx) and the job goes underway. It doesn't take long for Baby to realize that getting out will be a lot easier said then done.
Baby Driver is pretty much Drive meets Guardians of the Galaxy (I said it first Steve. You can check Twitter...). What's a pretty simple, dare I say cliche, story is elevated to new heights with buckets of humor and heart. Edgar Wright once again proves he's master at what he does, with stellar camera work and a unique brand of humor. The look of the film is great too, with some stellar, vibrant set pieces and some great light-work. The soundtrack is awesome, and it meshes with the film and story to a tee. Makes you wonder if Edgar Wright would do if he directed a Guardians of The Galaxy-oh right yeah. Damn...too soon?
One thing that brings the film down though is the relationship between Baby and Debora. It's not to say that Engort and James don't have any chemistry, they do, but the fact that they fall in love so fast and she's willing to run across the country with the guy she just met, it's a little too old school Disney for these modern times...not that I would ever, EVER bash old school Disney!!
As far as performances, this is the film that made me recognize Ansel Engort as a legit actor. Good job kid. Now cast aside a life of Divergent and The Fault In Our Stars and have a real career. In all seriousness he plays the calm, cool Baby perfectly and anchors the film. Lily James gives a sweet and charming performance as Debora. Kevin Spacey does his usual good work as Doc. Jaimie Foxx is okay as Bats but he's just doing a darker version of his Horrible Bosses character. Eiza Gonzalez is a fun addition to the cast as Darling, and Jon Hamm delivers a dark and charming performance as Buddy.
If you're feeling a touch overwhelmed with sequels and reboots right now, do yourself a favor and go see Baby Driver. It's a superbly crafted and fun film with a great cast and soundtrack. It's another classic from Edgar Wright that's sure to end up on many "Best Films of 2017" lists.
…maybe Edgar Wright can direct a DC film? Oh man imagine his version of The Flash...
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