Review of Baby Driver (2017) by Kaptenvideo — 31 Jul 2017

Baby (Ansel Elgort) is a young talented getaway driver for criminal mastermind (Kevin Spacey) who values his role in meticulously planned robberies.

Also starring, a bunch of cool cats including Jon Hamm („Mad Men“), Jon Bernthal („The Walking Dead“, also Frank Castle in „Daredevil“ and „The Punisher“ series), Jamie Foxx, Eiza González, Lily James, CJ Jones, Sky Ferreira, Flea et al.

I have always felt that people shouldn’t be OK with mediocre or **** screenplays in action movies just because we’re talking about „just action movies“ or „just entertainment“.

I can’t enjoy bad writing or lots of tired cliches in any genre, and luckily once in a while I do come across a good action movie which has, among other good things, a quality storytelling.

„Baby Driver“ is one of those – easily one of the best action movie of the summer, of the year and recent times.

I love almost everything about it, although I think it would benefit from a more compact final act which turns out to be a overlong series of chases, some by car, some by foot.

The main man behind all that goodness is Edgar Wright, director and a sole screenwriter. Yeah, I had to look his name up from IMDb, too.

Wright has already given birth to some modern classics already, namely cult action comedies „Shaun of the Dead“ and „Hot Fuzz“ (paving way to the stardom of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost) and „Scott Pilgrim vs. the World“ (one of the most constantly entertaining comic-based movies ever). And „Baby Driver“ may well be his best, most fully realized work yet.

One would think that a story based on driving cars fast can't give us anything fresh, but „Baby Driver“ actually manages to breath a lot of new life into this.

According to the makers, tricks and chases do not rely on computer effects, and the result is one memorable adrenaline-pumping mayhem indeed.

But there’s much more to it than fast cars. The movie is above average in every aspect I can think of – character-building, storytelling, creating suspense, making the actors look cool (an important thing for any action movie!).

The visual side is a constant source of pleasure as well, it’s carefully and masterfully orchestrated, down to details and including the inventive use of pop music which turns out to be quite an important part of the whole result.

All that seems to have inspired actors too whose work is memorable all-around. Wright seems to have almost Tarantino-like talent to make actors cool, or formerly quite cool actors interesting again. Case in point: Jamie Foxx and Jon Hamm in „Baby Driver“.

The central weight of the story still lies on one character, Baby. And this turns out to be one of the rare instances in action movies where giving a lot of backstory to central hero pays off totally and doesn’t bore at all.

Any of the ten million generic superhero movies made in past, present and future should learn from that. (BTW, Wright has co-written "Ant-Man" and Spielberg's "Tintin".).

Ansel Elgort has previously starred as Caleb in „Divergent“ series, which is some YA crap or other. He was also in „The Fault in Our Stars“ (also YA, but not crappy) and Jason Reitman’s forgettable „Men, Women & Children“. But „Baby Driver“ could be his true ticket to wider fame, and this young man is likable enough to deserve it.

The only thing a bit unattractive about „Baby Driver“ is its title, although you will understand and like it more once you have started watching.

It’s the best 112 minutes I’ve spent watching action movie in a long time. Give it a chance. It kicks ass.