Baby Driver Review

Baby Driver is the fast-paced, music-based film of the summer. Baby, a young getaway driver who finds his talent through the beat of a song, is persuaded into the crime business, resulting in the heist to end everything. I’m not usually a fan of high speed chases and unaffordable cars but when I heard about the stylised form that relied heavily on music, I knew I couldn’t miss seeing it on the big screen. I won’t spoil the plot, but this is a must see film.

The importance of music is obvious from the opening sequence. Each movement was precisely choreographed in time to the beat, creating these breathtaking sequences full of suave action. This often gave way to tongue and cheek style sing-alongs and cheesy dance moves, all whilst the heist was taking place somewhere we couldn’t see. This was part of the genius of the film for me. Whilst your typical crime thriller is made up of the robbery itself, Baby Driver found its action elsewhere. Ansel Elgort, who plays Baby, brings this film to life. His characterisation, which lives up to the protagonist’s name, makes us wonder why he is involved in such a business when his passion clearly lies with music. Not only is he strangely perfect for the crime chases, but his loveable personality shines through in his relationships (I won’t spoil them by giving them away, you can see for yourself!).

Of course, Baby Driver does have a lot of high speed action, if that’s what you’re looking for. The film is full of fast cars and guns. Even I couldn’t help but love some of the close cut chases and stand offs. But maybe this was because of the music, because not one single action was placed in the film without meaning that corresponded to the rhythm or lyrics of a song. Whilst I enjoyed most of the film, it did lose me in the penultimate sequence, which I found just a little too much. If you love your senseless violence, however, you will probably love it. That being said, it didn’t ruin the film for me at all and I still exited the cinema completely in love with what I’d just seen.

Overall, I really loved this film. The use of music created a unique viewing experience, somewhat similar to a musical or silent film. The light-hearted, comedic moments contrasted the hard hitting crime, capturing the extraordinary life of Baby. This was a really great concept and was executed so well. If you’re an artsy person you’ll definitely appreciate this film, as will the music buffs – the soundtrack is great! This isn’t your typical heist, but it truly shows the power of film.

Happy watching!