Review of Baby Driver (2017) by Alpha T — 05 Jul 2017

Edgar Wright always delivers, and his reputation as an ardent champion of story is still rock solid with Baby Driver. (And may I say: thank heavens. If I see another big dumb Transformer stomping around and not making sense, I'm going to start dragging robotic action figures out the back car window as revenge. Not dignified for a 42-year-old you say? Well, I paid to see Bay's latest cybernetic gack-fest, so you already know dignity isn't high on my list.).

If you're suspicious of the critical hype machine shilling Baby Driver from pillar to post, you are right to be. I believe pro- and armchair-critics aline have been hit with a horrible case of Tentpolus Sequilitis. Everyone in the movie house has seen too much repetitive cinematic baloney this summer. As such, Baby Driver stands out much farther than it would if it was surrounded by more story-strong competition.

It can never be denied Wright is a passionate fan of cinema and puts that gusto for film into his movie-making. Baby Driver is no exception. He clearly feels an intimate connection with Baby, soul music, and the golden beauty of Jessica Lange and Faye Dunaway, (who have conveniently been reincarnated and melded into Lily James, even though they're both still alive and well.) Wright also paints an excellent, multi-faceted portrait of the bad guys who make up the gallery of robber rogues with whom Baby is forced to team up.

Funny and thoughtful, it's Fast and Furious meets Bonnie and Clyde with a (soupcon of) conscience. I do recommend it as an action-date night, and applaud Wright for giving a pre-Boosh Julian Barratt a cameo...when on Earth is someone going to get Barratt and Noel Fielding into an American movie?).

My only complaint is that Wright's sometimes too-indulgent use of music, which is often sets the pace of the film. On a few occasions (much like Quentin Tarantino's too-long too-lingering tracking shots of ladies feet) the songs just drag on too long and slow things down unnecessarily.

Fine performances. Incredible stunts that shore up the story and not the other way around. Chases. Races. Booms, bangs. I do recommend. Just don't read any reviews (but mine) before you go see this film.

Well done, Ed. As a post-script, I'm super pissed we didn't get to see your Ant-Man. But I'm glad we got to see Baby Driver.