A commercial movie doesn’t have to feature heroes wearing
capes or massive explosions every five minutes. It can still be
interesting minus the bells and whistles of popular film-making. What it needs
are strong stories, great characters and astute direction. All of these
can be found in ‘Baby Driver’. Directed by Edgar Wright, who helmed ‘Hot
Fuzz’ and ‘Scott Pilgrim vs. the World’, his latest is a quirky and fun heist
caper. It also stands out in the current glut of sequels and superhero
movies as it arrives in cinemas as a welcome cinematic antidote.
Baby (Ansel Elgort) is a young man with a special
talent. A getaway driver for dangerous criminal Doc (Kevin Spacey), Baby
joins in the various crooked heists to earn a living. Coping with the
pressure of the lifestyle via his IPod filled with classic tracks, Baby thinks
he has life settled. That is until he meets Debora (Lily James) who captures
his heart. Sensing a chance to ditch his dodgy ways for a better life, he
must survive one final shady mission before he can move toward brighter
horizons.
‘Baby Driver’ is an enjoyably breezy action heist
flick. It’s ‘cool’ without being too smart for its own good. You
can see where Baby is coming from and how he wants to achieve his dreams.
Whilst he’s a wayward character, his heart is in the right place with his
relationship with Debora grounding him in an uneven world. She represents
a new, more hopeful existence than the miscreants with whom he deals.
People such as Doc remind him of how he could become if he stays on the
haphazard road that usually ends in tears.
Edgar Wright tackles ‘Baby Driver’s myriad of themes with
energetic precision. He knows how to tell a fast paced story filled with
passionate danger and relatable characters. No one person is ‘right or
wrong’ with the emotional grey areas easily understood by the viewers.
None of this would work without the talented cast and a tight script increasing
tension to a blistering finale. The car action sequences feel much more
authentic than elsewhere with an excitement level matching the personal moments
with ease.
In a year filled with blockbusters adding to the overall
‘franchise fatigue’ cinema is currently experiencing, ‘Baby Driver’ deserves
praise. Whilst it’s not totally original, it has enough of its own unique
vibe making it stand out. It can be hoped Edgar Wright directs more off-kilter
classics like these to save movie-goers from the endless stream of super-heroic
hijinks.
Movie Review Rating out of 10: 8
Movie Review by Patrick Moore
Agree with Patrick's Movie Review? Then please use the
comment box.
Patrick Moore's Movie Review is an alternative look at movie
releases in Australia.
TRAILER
SOUNDTRACK