Stylish, charming and fun but not naturally so

Rating: 7/10 (13 January 2018)

I've always liked Edgar Wright's films without loving them. They're always stylish and fun but also lacking something for my liking. 'Baby Driver' is no different. No one could argue just how stylish this film is. It oozes charisma and charm just from this alone. Then there's the tremendous cast and the spectacular performances Wright gets out of them. Kevin Spacey, in what may turn out to have been one of his final roles, was his usual superb self. Ansel Elgort has even been nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance. Jamie Foxx is also one of my favourite actors working today. The charm that man possesses is almost second to none.
What held me back from loving this film though (and most of Wright's films I suspect) is that they sometimes feel like they're trying too hard. I often compare them to Quentin Tarantino's films. Both make quite different films but have a similar method at the same time. In Tarantino's films the style and charm he manages to achieve seem so natural and like there was no other way that scene could have gone down. With Wright's films it feels the opposite. It feels like they achieve it, but far from naturally. I also had trouble buying the love story in this film. I think a little more effort could have been put into making sure the audience understood why he loved this woman so much. Definitely a fun watch, make no mistake about that. Even bordering on a must-see film, but it's still far from perfect.