Plot: "Baby" (Ansel Elgort) is a young getaway driver for mastermind Doc (Kevin Spacy). In spectacular fashion, he speeds away from the bank robberies. Baby is always listening to music, and he makes the windshield wipers flap to the rhythm of the music. His foster father Joseph (CJ Jones) is deaf and wheel-chair bound. During the movie he falls in love with diner waitress Debora (Lily James), and she figures into the final scenes with bandits Buddy (Jon Hamm), Darling (Eiza Gonzalez) and Bats (Jamie Foxx). [imdb] [photos]
The key conflict is whether Baby wants to lead a life of crime with Doc, or reform himself as Joseph and Debora would want. Baby wants the latter, but the bad guys are pretty persuasive.
Director Wright says this is a heist film for the Grand Theft Auto Generation. The first robbery has a grand chase with a wild get away. The second and third have innocent people getting hurt and moral complexity. In the last chase, Baby needs to decide what kind of person he is.
I liked it. It was engaging, and fun to watch. Though the end is bloody, Baby Driver makes the moral choice.
Written and directed by:
One new track, Easy by Sky Ferreira, who plays Baby's dead Mom, is beautiful. At the end there is a good hiphop track by Danger Mouse & Big Boi, Chase Me.
Of all the oldies, the only one with replay value is Radar Love by Golden Earring. That one is timeless.
Honorable mention to Tequila made famous by The Champs and played in the movie by Button Down Brass; and Bongolia by the Incredible Bongo Band.
The Visuals:
Rating:
