A Messy Third Act doesn't undermine Baby Driver's Entertainment Value

Rating: 8/10 (4 July 2017)

Edgar Wright does Drive. I mean, I didn't need any more reason than that to see this movie did I? And neither do you. Like pretty much every film in Wright's repertoire, Baby Driver is a display of such insanely tight direction and writing. Nothing in this movie is accidental, from the obvious foreground to the subtle background. Every cut and every pan is there for a reason, timed and placed for maximum effect. Wright has a hard-on for the little details, and Baby Driver is absolutely brimming with them, from song lyrics written in graffiti in the background, to foreshadowing channel hopping on television, to insignificant lines of dialogue resurfacing later on to great effect.
The story is almost not the point of Baby Driver. I'm not going to lie, it's a little lacklustre as stories go. It hits all the right beats, and has some fantastic moments, but it's not particularly deep or complicated. Baby Driver is mainly a character- driven story, and even then certain characters aren't dealt with particularly well (Doc's sudden and out-of-character flip of priorities in the third act definitely stands out as the movie's weakest point). The third act is also overlong and a little messy, interweaving multiple action scenes across a whole day, leaving it's fast pace to get a bit away from the narrative.
But as I said, what might be perceived as the most important aspects of a good movie, these are only minor details in the grander scheme of Baby Driver's aim, which is the quintessential marriage of audio and visuals. The movie is absolutely chock full of popular music from every era, from the moment the movie starts to when the final credits roll. Music permeates every scene and is used to such brilliant effect. Every movement on camera is tied to the music's beat, from gunshots to money counting, to character movements and even the rhythm of dialogue. My favourite touch though is when the music disappears, alongside narrative reasoning in the movie, and the audio gap is filled with a single high- pitched note offering the effect of Baby's tinnitus, while simultaneously marking these scenes out as more serious and intense than the rest of the movie.
As I've mentioned, every song serves a meticulous purpose in the movie, and the soundtrack is full of songs both iconic and obscure from every era of music, from Simon and Garfunkel and Queen to the Harlem Shuffle and Tequila, to Blur and Beck. Personally very little of it is to my personal tastes, so it's not really a soundtrack I would choose to listen to by itself, but I can't deny that it's an expertly chosen selection of songs. And seeing as there's a song for almost every scene, that's a hell of a lot of music.
The choreography of fight scenes and car chases also deserves mention. No CGI or green screen was used, and it shows. While the fights and car chases are smaller and more intimate than what you might find in the Fast and Furious franchise, this is only a strength, allowing it all to be filmed in-camera and, as such, keep its realism and plausibility intact. Baby Driver easily has the best car chases of the year; complex, stylish, real, and above all hugely entertaining to watch.
While the character work in the script leaves a lot to be desired, every actor's performance stands on it's own and thanks to great direction by Wright, are left to flourish and dig deeper than the script and dialogue could. Ansel Elgort is subdued, mysterious, quiet and thoughtful, and yet driven by morals not befitting of a criminal. All he wants is to pay off his debt to Doc and carry on with his life like a normal person. Jon Hamm's Buddy is a masterclass on character building, using his handsomeness and charming masculinity to great effect, appearing first as a friend, and then an antagonist without skipping a beat or breaking character. Jamie Foxx is another example of the finest character building I've seen in a long time. His turn as a pure villain is so easy to hate and fear in equal measure, oozing real threat and intimidation in every scene he's in, without being an overly dark spot in an otherwise light-hearted movie. Lily James employs her signature charisma and ability to hit real chemistry with anyone and everyone. She's simply endearing and easy to love in every scene she's in.
Baby Driver is also, unsurprisingly, very funny to watch. It's certainly not your typical comedy movie, as each joke is so natural that it doesn't feel like a joke at all. There's a general air of brevity, particularly in the first and second acts that's infectious to watch. There's no possible way to feel bad during this movie. Even once the third act ditches the light-hearted edge and turns more serious, the shift in tone doesn't feel sudden or out-of-place.
Baby Driver is a thoroughly entertaining heist flick employing the best use of music in a long time, with some great performances elevating otherwise lacklustre characters to levels higher than they realistically should be. It manages to carefully balance a light-hearted and fun tone with a level of seriousness and threat that keeps the stakes real and high throughout. It's hard to detach yourself from the characters and story, as they take you on a rip-roaring ride through action, romance, comedy, thriller, and musical, often within the space of a few minutes. Would I recommend Baby Driver? Yes, I would recommend Baby Driver. 8/10. I just wish that third act wasn't quite as messy and all over the place, and that Doc didn't just suddenly jump out of character.