Fun ride homage with a great heart

Rating: 8/10 (2 July 2017)

I got to say that the mainstream cinema has been for me a letdown of late, and the better films have been really those under the bridge where I've found a few gems (e.g. Raw).
Baby Driver is an antidote to the poor and identikit set of films released by the majors, and I hope it influences others to think outside the box.
As with other Edgar Wright movies, this film is a homage to many favourites of years go by (I'd say major influences are Res Dogs + Gdns of Glxy + Point Blank = Baby Driver), but this is still a fine movie.
We have a mostly light hearted and tender movie, as our lead with his obsession with his iPod music collection to help drown out tinnitus, is caught up in a world that is way too far for him. He's an incredible getaway driver, but the heist world is too much for him. He falls in love and it's a race to find a way out, not easy.
It's funny, it's cruel, it's got a great soundtrack and great empathetic characters that are well fleshed out. Jamie Foxx is a cruel heist colleague and really ramps up the tension.
The only problems are the derivative aspects to it, but that's part of the joy as it brings out memories of all favourites. It pays homage without ripping off. The first 30mins I got the impression that it would be too light hearted, but it does ram up heavily after that and the story picks up pace. Very good stuff.
For a film to watch in the cinema, I can't think of too much better in the mainstream. It's not by any means perfect, but all who go to watch it will enjoy it.
It's also great to see personal favourite The Damned get one of their songs out there for others to hear. Wonderful from the film makers. Give the film a chance.