First off, no this isn't a movie about a baby driving a car. It is an R-rated action film about a getaway driver named Baby (Ansel Elgort), who is capable of miraculous things when he's behind the steering wheel. He has tinnitus, so to drown out the ringing in his ears, he listens to music on his iPod nonstop. What this means is that the entire film is scored with incredible music and every piece of action is choreographed to take place in time with the music.
What do I mean by choreographed? Exactly that. This movie is what I imagine synesthesia must feel like, where you experience something through different senses than usual. You don't just hear the music: you can see it and feel it. People are slamming car doors in time to the beat, firing off gun shots in rhythm, tapping their fingers in time with the piano melody, and in general, moving and swaying to an infectious groove that won't quit. This is a movie that deserves the Oscar for Best Editing, because it is seamless in the way that every shot meticulously matches the music and complements every single movement made by the actors. It is balletic and brilliant and I was mesmerized throughout. You can watch the entire opening scene set to The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion's "Bellbottoms" on YouTube, but for my money, there's nothing to beat the crazy sequence set to "Tequila."
Writer-director Edgar Wright is a fantastic filmmaker and he had the idea for Baby Driver 22 years ago. This idea has been marinating in his brain for two decades, as he evolved from a student filmmaker to the universally-hailed auteur of the Cornetto Trilogy. And that passion and attention to detail is apparent in every frame of this film. There is no way Wright could have made as stunning a picture if he had acted on his idea 22 years ago. But by perfecting it in his mind over all these years, what you see on screen is a movie where every scene is thoughtfully crafted, precise, and poetic.
Of course, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the performances. Elgort is an ideal protagonist, moving with a loose-limbed lollop that seems tailor-made to accompany the soundtrack. Yes, there are multiple think-pieces about what a punchable face he has and how it's weird that this character is a white boy, but I personally didn't care because I was too busy getting swept away by the soundtrack and incredible stunt driving. The best performance in the film might actually belong to Lily James, whose turn as the delightful waitress Deborah is calculated to calm your nerves down and inject some much-needed sweetness and light into this otherwise testosterone-fueled romp. Don't spend too much time analyzing her motivations -- this is not a movie that is going to win awards for its screenplay -- but sit back and enjoy the adorable love story play out between her and Baby. Their conversation about songs featuring their names is enough to make one swoon.
In case it isn't apparent to you already, I have no reservations about recommending Baby Driver and particularly recommending that you watch it in a movie theater to get the full effect. This is a movie that needs to be seen in cinemas, because it is an audiovisual tour de force that will grab you from the very first second and only release you as the end credits roll. Treat Yo Self this weekend and experience one of the best movies of the summer.
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