Baby (Elgort) is a getaway driver. He works as a member of criminal mastermind Doc's (Spacey) crew and lives with his deaf foster father, Joseph (Jones). Baby is always wearing earbuds and listening to music. The other members of the crew, which changes with every heist, question his behavior, but can't fault his driving.
Baby meets waitress Debora (James) at his favorite diner and starts to fall for her. But their relationship is interrupted when Doc calls for a new job. He is the driver for a four person team, working alongside violent Bats (Foxx) and married couple Buddy (Hamm) and Darling (Gonzalez). Can Baby survive the heist and get the girl?
This is director Edgar Wright's 6th film as a director (following A Fistful of Fingers in 1995, Shaun of the Dead in 2004, Hot Fuzz in 2007, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World in 2010, and The World's End in 2013). I enjoy his directing style (in both film and TV) and was excited to dive into this film.
Wright had the idea for this film in the 1990s. He used the idea in the music video for Mint Royale's "Blue Song" (video embedded below).
He loved the idea so much that he wrote a story around the concept (and included a clip of the video in the film). The film, including the gun shots, is choreographed to the soundtrack.
The film opens with Baby dropping off the crew for a job, as they exit the car, he starts playing music. The music plays while he waits for them to return and their escape from the police, all timed to the music. That impressive scene is followed by a tracking shot of Baby getting coffee, as he dances to the music.
The cast is great and numerous musicians have minor cameos. Ansel Elgort is great as Baby. He doesn't say much, but you get to know him through his music selections and facial expressions. Kevin Spacey is imposing and a clear authority figure throughout, while the rest of the gang is surrounded in an air of mystery. You know they are criminals and you can't predict what they will do or say next. I love CJ Jones as Joseph, it isn't a big role, but he is wonderful.
They used minimal green screen and CGI for the film. They sent Elgort and Jon Hamm to driving school for a month, while also using a small army of stunt performers to achieve the action in the film. It is an impressive film with a strong visual style and impressive stunts (whether completed by stunt performers or CGI).
This is the kind of film that takes multiple viewings to really appreciate all the intricacies of the scenes. I enjoy Wright's style (and all of his previous works, including Spaced and Asylum) and from the opening moments I was hooked. Reactions from critics and audiences is mixed... you either love or hate this film. I loved it and look forward to watching it again to catch more nuances.
Baby Driver (2017) 113 minutes
Rating: R for violence and language throughout
Director: Edgar Wright
Starring: Ansel Elgort as Baby
Kevin Spacey as Doc
Jamie Foxx as Bats
Lily James as Debora
Jon Hamm as Buddy
Eliza Gonzalez as Darling
Jon Bernthal as Griff
Flea as Eddie "No-Nose"
Lanny Joon as JD
CJ Jones as Joseph
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