Baby Driver Review

 

Certificate: 15

Running time: 113 minutes 

Directed by: Edgar Wright.

What's it about: A talented, young driver relies on the beat of his personal soundtrack to be the best in the game. But after being coerced into working for a crime boss, he must face the music when a doomed heist threatens his life, love and freedom.

The verdict: Edgar Wright is known for his quirky, action films and Baby Driver is no exception. The musical sequence which plays as the opening credits come up, could give La La Land a run for its money. The choreography is perfect, and sets the tone of the film really well.

The cast is very good, and although no one puts in a career changing performance, everyone is well cast. Kevin Spacey is brilliant as crime boss 'Doc,' he actually has some of the best lines in the film and there is a great dynamic between him and Ansel Elgort's character 'Baby.' The rest of the  supporting cast is also strong, a lot of people will particularly like Jamie Foxx as the slightly unhinged 'Bats.' Personally I really liked Jon Hamm and Eiza González as 'Buddy' and 'Darling,' their characters are like a modern day Bonnie and Clyde. But the stand out is definitely Ansel Elgort as the titular character. There is something really appealing about him, and his performance.

The plot of the film is simple, and at times the story feels a little thin but this is made up for by the action sequences and non stop soundtrack. The driving stunts are really impressive, and in one scene they are particularly breathtaking. The soundtrack is a massively important part of the film, almost a character in its own right, and there is music from lots of different decades and different genres - I think there will be at least one song that will have you tapping along.

There aren't many negatives in regards to this film, however it's not completely flawless. As mentioned earlier, the story is slightly thin in some places and it does feel like the film is relying on the music to carry it. I wonder that if you took away the musical aspect, then actually this would just be a good film not a great one - but then again, the music is what the film is about.  Also the climax of the film felt a bit rushed to me, and there were some parts where you had to suspend your belief. However none of this took away from my overall enjoyment of the film.

Overall, Baby Driver is a fun, stylish and original film. I enjoyed it a lot, and there were a couple of shots which made me gasp aloud because they were so visually awesome.

Should you watch this film? Yes! Baby Driver is definitely worth a watch on the big screen, and fans of Edgar Wright will love it.