For those who love the work of Edgar Wright. For those who thought Drive was too slow and restrained. For those who like having fun at the movies. Baby Driver is absolutely worth a look.
This isn't just another great rendition of the stoic-idiosyncratic-getaway-driver formula. It's just a great movie. Every scene is made to be in sync with the film's dynamite soundtrack, which serves to put us in the shoes of the protagonist as well as the function of wrapping the audience up in its endlessly shifting rhythm. It is a very immersive movie in this way, which is one of the best compliments I can bestow upon any work of fiction.
What I really appreciate is that the movie doesn't settle for being a flashy, lighthearted car chase flick. The story is rather serious in spite of all the fun it offers. As we discover, it simply features a hero who is actively trying to distance himself from the severity of his situation for his own peace of mind. Wright is very good at balancing wicked entertainment with a fair amount of pathos in his movies. In this respect, Baby Driver is more like Shaun of the Dead or Hot Fuzz than Scott Pilgrim vs. The World or The World's End. It gives you everything you crave yet doesn't shy away from the true heart within the story and characters or break faith with its spirit.
Putting that aside, the movie is absolutely brilliant on a technical level. I've already mentioned the interplay between its music and choreography, but the stunts are all done practically; little to no CGI, and all filmed in smooth, easy-to-follow cinematography. Every chase or action scene just glues your eyes to the screen. The acting is all terrific, every character perfectly cast and giving it their all; Kevin Spacey, Jamie Foxx and Jon Hamm all play excellent and surprising bad guys. The one I was least certain about going in, Ansel Elgort as "Baby", turned out to be the one I enjoyed the most; even as the others are hamming it up, his subdued, largely physical performance is what centers the movie throughout. I even thought Lily James was wonderful as Deborah, Baby's Satellite Love Interest.
All in all, I felt Baby Driver was immensely satisfying. Check it out.
Pure Kinetic Energy
For those who love the work of Edgar Wright. For those who thought Drive was too slow and restrained. For those who like having fun at the movies. Baby Driver is absolutely worth a look.
This isn't just another great rendition of the stoic-idiosyncratic-getaway-driver formula. It's just a great movie. Every scene is made to be in sync with the film's dynamite soundtrack, which serves to put us in the shoes of the protagonist as well as the function of wrapping the audience up in its endlessly shifting rhythm. It is a very immersive movie in this way, which is one of the best compliments I can bestow upon any work of fiction.
What I really appreciate is that the movie doesn't settle for being a flashy, lighthearted car chase flick. The story is rather serious in spite of all the fun it offers. As we discover, it simply features a hero who is actively trying to distance himself from the severity of his situation for his own peace of mind. Wright is very good at balancing wicked entertainment with a fair amount of pathos in his movies. In this respect, Baby Driver is more like Shaun of the Dead or Hot Fuzz than Scott Pilgrim vs. The World or The World's End. It gives you everything you crave yet doesn't shy away from the true heart within the story and characters or break faith with its spirit.
Putting that aside, the movie is absolutely brilliant on a technical level. I've already mentioned the interplay between its music and choreography, but the stunts are all done practically; little to no CGI, and all filmed in smooth, easy-to-follow cinematography. Every chase or action scene just glues your eyes to the screen. The acting is all terrific, every character perfectly cast and giving it their all; Kevin Spacey, Jamie Foxx and Jon Hamm all play excellent and surprising bad guys. The one I was least certain about going in, Ansel Elgort as "Baby", turned out to be the one I enjoyed the most; even as the others are hamming it up, his subdued, largely physical performance is what centers the movie throughout. I even thought Lily James was wonderful as Deborah, Baby's Satellite Love Interest.
All in all, I felt Baby Driver was immensely satisfying. Check it out.