The Most Unique Film of 2017

Rating: 9/10 (27 March 2018)

2018 Iowa All-State Individual Competition Nominated Review:
Baby Driver is written and directed by Edgar Wright. The film follows a young getaway driver named Baby. He is sucked into a life of crime by a mob boss, who is played by Kevin Spacey. Spacey's character uses different crews for each heist, but he always uses Baby as his driver, because Baby, played by Ansel Elgort, is the best getaway driver there is, and the film establishes this in the very first scene. Baby meets a waitress played by Lily James and romance comes into play. They both want to get away from their day to day lives and just drive, but Baby is trapped in this life of crime and can't seem to get out. However, this is where the film takes off. At its core, this movie is about style, action sequences, characters, and story.
In the film, Baby gets into a car accident as a kid, this causes him to have Tinnitus in his ears. Tinnitus is the constant ringing and buzzing in the ears. However, he does drown this out by plugging the headphones in and listening to music all of the time. The music he listens to is actually found in the form of a thirty-five song soundtrack. Director Edgar Wright takes this soundtrack and lets each song dictate an individual scene. He does this by matching each sound effect and action in the film to each beat of the song. Wright does this extremely well and the music puts the viewer in Baby's position, causing the viewer to understand his character better and connect with him on a deeper level.
Baby Driver is all about its getaway sequences and these are simply some of the best getaway sequences ever done. Wright uses little CGI, but when he does it's never obvious due to how practical the sequences are.These sequences are fluent and feel real. This is due to Weight using the actual actors when filming, as well as shooting on the Atlanta freeway. All of this makes for some of the most high octane driving sequences ever seen on film.
What makes the characters great in this film is the chemistry between them. Lily James´s character and Ansel Elgort's character have excellent chemistry, making for a very believable romance throughout the course of the film. This is a reflective image of an actual married couple in the film. The married couple, played by Jon Hamm and Eiza Gonzalez is a picture of what Baby and his girlfriend could´ve been. Kevin Spacey plays a very commanding figure and the respect that each crew has for him is very clear during the film. Another great aspect is the anti-chemistry between each crew. It is very obvious that each of the characters within the crew is driven by their own individual goals, leading to lots of arguments and bad blood between the crews. Jamie Foxx´s character is a prime example of this, as he is always causing mischief within the crews.

The story of Baby Driver never takes itself too seriously. Wright does a great job of taking a certain event in the film and throwing it in the opposite direction of where the viewer might think the film is going. This is demonstrated when Baby and his girlfriend receive help from an unlikely character. The film does this a lot, keeping the viewer invested and constantly on the edge of their seat. Wright also manages to brilliantly tell the story through driving sequences with little to no dialogue. He does this by utilizing their actions, facial expressions, and the soundtrack itself. This is a nice touch from Wright and one that most modern filmmakers simply don't possess. The movie is engaging enough that the viewer will care about the characters, but at the same time, it is light-hearted enough, making for easy viewing and an enjoyable film.
This film does have negatives, but they are mostly nitpick and minor takeaways. While the chemistry between Ansel Elgort and Lily James is great and they have a believable romance, their romance feels shoved aside for the sake of the plot. This film would have benefited from a longer running time to expand upon their relationship. There were minor things that stood out early on in the film, but as the film progressed they were explained and ended up canceling themselves out. For instance, during the first scene, Baby drives a red Subaru for a heist in broad daylight, which doesn't seem logical, but this is remedied when Baby puts himself between two other red cars and loses the police when he switches his position, while under a bridge.
The film keeps the viewer invested because of how it is not as predictable as one might think. The film has high octane action sequences that feel real and intense. The film is stylish when the soundtrack comes on and the acting in this film is excellent.The chemistry between the characters is great. This great chemistry is on display from the main and supporting characters alike. The film has very few negatives and they're all minor things and some even tend to cancel themselves out as the film progresses. Overall, Baby Driver is an amazing and unique film that feels refreshing amongst a generation of reboots and sequels. Because of this, the film requires multiple viewings and that is why I gave it a: 9.2/10.