“Baby Driver” is a 2017 action crime film written and directed by Edgar Wright. The film follows Baby, a young and talented getaway driver who finds himself reluctantly drawn into a life of crime. I will be breaking down the opening scene of the movie. The scene begins by immediately establishing the location with a wide shot featuring the Bank of Atlanta. The second shot of the movie is of Baby hitting play on his iPod, this informs viewers that the music is diegetic and within Baby’s world, it also emphasizes the important role that music will play in the movie. “Bellbottoms” starts playing and every shot is then cut to the beat of the music. A wide shot is used from the perspective of Baby’s car as we watch his companions enter the bank, this separates Baby from his crew and can be seen as a metaphor for Baby and his connection to the crime world itself. We then see a selection of shots of Baby in the car, jamming out to his music, allowing the audience to perceive him as friendly, funny and detached from the criminal world he is sucked into.
When the getaway car chase begins the editing immediately kicks into high gear, mirroring the adrenaline-fueled excitement of the moment. Quick cuts and rapid transitions between different angles and shots keep the audience on the edge of their seats, effectively conveying the urgency and intensity of the situation. Despite each shot being only roughly 1 second long these super quick cuts don’t feel rushed as the scene feels more like a musical montage than a real depiction of a car chase. Many of the shots within the chase are filmed of the inside of the car, featuring Baby or his companions, placing a lot of emphasis on what is going on inside the vehicle allowing audiences to feel involved in the car rather than simply watching it.
Amidst the chaos and exhilaration of the chase, the editing also allows for moments of quiet introspection and character development. Interspersed throughout the action are glimpses into Baby’s persona, revealing his calm demeanour behind the wheel contrasted with the chaos unfolding around him, with his headphones in his ears at all times (see 3:08, 3:18, 3:41, 5:06, just to name a few). These moments provide valuable insights into Baby’s character and aim to make the audience intrigued as to where he got his skills and how he remains so calm.
The scene concludes with Baby successfully escaping the police and the editing slows down as a long roughly 20-second clip (5:18-5:39) is used as the crew swap over cars and drive away allowing for a moment of relief before the next stage of the story begins.