Baby Driver: fast cars, sick driving, epic music, heartthrob actors and bad-ass action

by Isobel Smart

What is there not to love about Edgar Wright’s 2017 film Baby Driver? The overall suaveness and sophistication Ansel Elgort brings to his character, Baby, a crime getaway driver, is absolutely stunning to watch. The way Wright has combined thriller/action drama with music to create this incredibly complex yet simple hybrid styled genre is so thoroughly refined in a way that makes it look effortless. The diversity within the music is exquisite, ranging from the upbeat “Brighton Rock” by Queen, to the laid back “Easy” by The Commodores. The whole idea of this hybrid could have caused a tacky and try-hard action film to be produced as it could have not been taken seriously if it wasn’t done well, and the music had potential to override it in its entirety. Luckily for Wright and everyone involved with production, this wasn’t the case, and they managed to incorporate the music with such ease and style, creating that perfect balance that it needed.

The love interest of Baby is Deborah, the average “girl next door” character working as a waitress at a local diner. Yes, a typical late night interaction with the young pretty waitress and the cute lonely boy who asks her what her name is while she takes his order – cliché. We’ve seen it all before. But they have an instant connection with each other, each discovering they both urge to seek alternative routes (literally) in their lives and escape their current lifestyles by just driving away into the unknown. This is what is so different about these two – their raw connection which is obvious from the first moment the audience sees them meet.

So what are my problems with the film?

The connection between the characters and the audience struggles to achieve. Who is Deborah? What is her story? There is a serious lack in background information and past with each character, including Baby himself, and it’s difficult to sympathise with anyone as a result. We know why Baby constantly listens to music through his headphones, but what’s the significance in him seeing the world through music? It’s all up to the audience to figure out, which I understand from a stylistic point of view, however in this film I feel as though this style didn’t fit.

Nonetheless, Baby Driver is an exceptional film that’s diversity ensures a broad audience and appeals to each genre, and should definitely be watched on the big screen for the ultimate experience.