Edgar Wright made a name for himself in the early 2000’s with the cult-classic television show “Spaced” and the zom-rom-com “Shaun of the Dead.” His success continued with “Hot Fuzz,” “The World’s End,” “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World,” and writing credits on “Ant-Man” and the animated “Tintin” movie.
Now, Wright has a new project, without any involvement from the men who helped him create his most famous films; his frequent collaborators, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. Can “Baby Driver” still succeed without Wright’s partners-in-crime?
First of all, the music is paramount. Unlike other films, where sound is often used as an afterthought or for background noise, “Baby Driver” is grounded in it.
Even the act of getting coffee sees a character walking around, dancing to the song blaring in their headphones. More than that, music is embedded into every fiber of this world.
While strolling to a cafe, lyrics from the song blend their way into the background, either as graffiti, on street signs or through overheard pedestrian's conversations.
Ansel Elgort is effortlessly charming as the sometimes-mute Baby, a getaway driver for Kevin Spacey and his band of bank robbers played by John Hamm, Jamie Foxx and Eiza González. The cast is captivating, always holding the attention of the audience and enveloping themselves in their characters.
While the cast members may not transform themselves physically, you can see the commitment to character exhibited by these talented actors. Lily James is also a standout, playing the love interest of Baby; Debora. She manages to turn the role into her own, escaping from the typical damsel cliché most action movies have.
The writing helps the cast escape the typical action movie mediocrity by giving them, not just interesting things to say and do, but also context as to why they’re doing it. These aren’t just characters who all talk the same way and look different. They are nuanced, one person could say one thing, and when someone else repeats it, they repeat it in a completely different way. Most characters also end up in different roles and acting different ways by the time the film ends, allowing each one to have a full character arc.
Despite this, the audience is never given too much. We don’t get long explanations with drawn out backstories about specific characters, telling us why they are the way they are. Wright knows that the current events are the most important, so he uses the actors and dialogue to inform the audience. We know that a character is menacing or crazy based on how they act and talk, not by seeing multiple scenes of them doing menacing or crazy things.
“Baby Driver” shows a commitment to excellence and character development normally unseen in modern action films. The action moves smoothly and fluently. Like “Wonder Woman” did for a superhero film, it’s wonderful to see a heist movie where you can understand what is happening on screen.
Detail is the driving force of the film. Detail is everywhere, from the extremely specific choreography in the driving and heist scenes, to the characters and how they become memorable and likable. Edgar Wright also deserves praise for not pulling any punches in terms of story, leaving the audience satisfied and still wanting more.
“Baby Driver” hits the gas and never lets up, delivering a level of intensity that previous Wright films would have merely flirted with. A world filled with music, character, great performances, razor sharp action, and most importantly, detail. It’s clear that this was a film made by someone in love with the craft. This is a movie that should be celebrated and praised. This is the “La La Land” of action movies. Hop in your car and speed off to see this, now. The big music and big action needs a big screen and big speakers, and gets big praise. 5/5
