BABY DRIVER – Review

Edgar Wright knows cinema. It’s evident in the way he writes his characters. It’s evident in how he chooses to tell his stories. It’s evident in the little visual nods he sprinkles into each scene, like tiny cinematic sprinkles – though they may seem unnecessary, they add to the delightful treat for film lovers. And so, with each new film, he pushes himself in terms of telling a new type of story and delivering it in a way that pushes his exhilarating style. It’s impossible to watch an Edgar Wright film and not feel the energy he has for the project, complete with those fun little sprinkles on top.

His unabashed glee for filmmaking has come to a head with BABY DRIVER. Years of studying film, analyzing the camerawork, acknowledging the tropes, and listening to the importance of a solid soundtrack, has amounted to a cinematic fervor that he hasn’t exhibited before. Sure, films like HOT FUZZ and SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD have shown the filmmaker challenging his comedic visual chops or adapting a new visual language, but with his sixth feature film, Wright gathers his knowledge and love of cinema into a nearly two-hour assault on the senses that’s sure to be one of the most talked about films of the year.

Baby (Ansel Elgort) is a kid who walks (or drives) to the beat of his own drum. He’s constantly plugged into his headphones to drown out the hum in his head from a childhood accident, and in doing so, he has created the ultimate soundtrack for the film. You see, Baby is a getaway driver who is looking to get out of his contract with his crime boss (Kevin Spacey). When he meets the girl of his dreams at a diner (Lily James), he sees a chance to ditch his criminal life and make a clean getaway. But as we all know with this genre, there’s always one last heist and it never goes as planned.

Relative newcomer Ansel Elgort is a delight, as he saunters and spins his way around veteran talent like Kevin Spacey, Jamie Foxx, and Jon Hamm. There’s a coolness to his performance that matches Wright’s style. It’s never cocky or ultra-masculine; it’s more indicative of Marlon Brando’s or James Dean’s brooding cool in THE WILD ONE or REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE. Spacey seems to be toning it down (thankfully) to make room for Foxx, Hamm, and Eliza Gonzalez to flex their intimidating muscles opposite our puppy-eyed hero.

However, it’s important to remember that behind those soft eyes and quiet accent is fuel and rock n’ roll. Wright reminds us of this throughout the majority of the film. Like a Nirvana song where the verses are slightly softer and prettier and the choruses are loud and in your face, Wright incorporates those same tempo changes into the film. He’s not afraid to let the sweet moments between Baby and his waitress girlfriend shine, but he also ramps up the the intensity and is perfectly comfortable behind the wheel. It’s a balancing act, but he masters both with finesse and skill.

What might be the most astonishing feat but feels effortless, is the editing accompanied with each carefully selected song (curiously done by two editors who haven’t always worked together). The soundtrack, which runs the gamut from 60’s R&B like Carla Thomas, 70’s punk including The Damned, and a dash of modern hip-hop with Run the Jewels, is used throughout the film to coincide with the action, making the film the equivalent of an action movie musical. It’s one thing to listen to these songs, but it’s completely different watching how each drum beat and chord change matches up perfectly with the film.

Many might recognize the familiar story beats and cinematic tropes and see it as lazy or that Wright and his crew are copying off the films that have come before. Yet, Wright isn’t trying to hide his references. In fact, he openly showcases his love of these previous films throughout. You can’t have a kid from the “wrong side of the tracks” fall in love with a waitress at a diner without a little cheese. When you name the pizza place in your film “Goodfellas” – a film acknowledged as a cornerstone for film soundtracks – you clearly aren’t hiding your influences. Instead, Wright chooses to use these influences to create a cinematic language that walks a fine line between acknowledging the past and winking at the audience (something Tarantino falls on the wrong side of most times).

BABY DRIVER is an adrenaline-fueled love letter to the pulpy films from the 40s and 50s that’s precisely set and edited to the ultimate mixtape. Thoroughly exhilarating with just a touch of pathos, Edgar Wright has found the perfect vehicle for his passionate, cinematic voice. Each of our lives is set to a soundtrack, and it’s up to us to choose what track we want to live by.

Overall score: 4.5 out of 5 

BABY DRIVER opens in theaters June 28th