Plug In Baby

Rating: 8/10 (22 June 2017)

From Edgar Wright, co-writer and director of the Cornetto trilogy and Scott Pilgrim vs the world, comes a rather fresh take on the Heist genre that is Baby Driver. Ansel Elgot of the Fault in Our Stars and Divergent fame, stars as Baby, a young getaway driver with a deep rooted love of music and indebted to the wrong person, Kevin Spacey. Baby drives to pay his debts and keep those he loves safe, but when things start to escalate its dog eat dog. Wright's first solo writer/director feature is like True Romance as a heist film, while bringing Wright's auteur stamp to the genre. It's a brilliantly acted and directed film, even if the story unfortunately does get progressively worse.
The films first half was far better than its second in my opinion. Opening with a heist that immediately solidifies the film as an Edgar Wright one. Baby's car dancing and lip synching establishes a comedic element that has run throughout his work and the signature Edgar Wright fast cuts are used as good as ever in several absolutely fantastic car chases in this film, but especially in the films opening. The films first act is the films peak. I would also like to highlight Wright's choice in this sequence, and throughout the film, to not show the heist take place, he could have easily made the film super conventional and shown a heist, but this film isn't about that. Wright Knows the film he is making and it's really quite a feat to make a heist film without really showing a single one. Not only is he unconventional in not showing a heist, but he also uses the long take quite a lot, and from the 'Master of the Fast Cut' this was very interesting to see. After the excellently executed opening sequence we are graced with an equally well executed title sequence which is all done in one take. I understand why Wright would use the long take. It lets the actors feel the music, move and react to it. The title sequence is exactly that as Baby goes to get coffee while listening and reacting to a song as it plays in its entirety. The long take is used throughout, similar to Wright's signature fast cut, and it simply showcases his versatility as well as his impeccable handle over a soundtrack.
At the screening I saw, Edgar Wright stated in an introductory video to get ready for an awesome soundtrack and he isn't wrong. What makes Baby Driver's soundtrack so good isn't just the selection of songs, which is brilliantly done by Steven Price, but the way in which Wright has woven them into the film. I did think to myself before the film started "are they just trying to capitalise off what Guardians of the Galaxy did and is doing?", but now having seen Baby Driver I can safely say, that the way Wright has used his soundtrack is truly unique, and not just an easy attempt at merchandising. You can tell that Wright had the songs in mind before and/or during the script writing process as scenes are written and directed around certain songs, such as Debora by T. rex. I have heard critics call Baby Driver a 'sudo-musical', but I would prefer to compare it to more of a 2 hour long music video. The use of music allows for Wright to play with how the film is edited and he does not disappoint as the entire film is edited wonderfully by editors Jonathan Amos and Paul Machliss.
Now, although Wright directed the absolute hell out of this film and the wove the soundtrack in nicely, the film does however suffer a dip in quality when it tries to create and relationships. My biggest issue is with Kevin Spacey's character who I would like to have known more about, especially in regards to his relationship with Baby. This is mainly a problem as his character takes a sudden U turn in the films third act which is so sudden to which we are given one sentence explanation "I was in love once." Maybe Wright wanted his character to be a mystery, I don't know, but personally I would have liked the film to focus a little more on Spacey and Elgort's relationship, thus giving the film's final act a little more kick even if it doesn't really need it. Also the relationship between Baby and Debora was okay but didn't have to take up so much of the run time as it did. The only other issue I have is with the films final act as, although directed fantastically and filled with unexpected moments, it did feel rather expected due to the nature of the heist genre. I can't help but have the films The Town and Triple 9 in mind, and personally this association made the final act a bit too conventional than for what I would have liked. I also didn't really like the ending. I found it a bit rushed and arbitrary and to me it felt like an alternate one you get in the DVD extras But then again who doesn't like a happy ending? In this case me I guess.
To conclude, Baby Driver is written and directed to near perfection by Edgar Wright, with a big star cast that more than satisfies expectations the audience would have of it, and a kick ass soundtrack that is woven beautifully into the film, Edgar Wright has made yet another great film here. Although the script could have probably done with one more draft, adding a little more detail into characters and their relations to others, but then again it is because Wright has created such interesting characters that I even want to know more in the first place Watch out Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift because here is the real Drift King.