Director: Edgar Wright
Writer: Edgar Wright
Stars: Ansel Elgort, Jon Bernthal, Jon Hamm
Plot: After being coerced into working for a crime boss, a young getaway driver finds himself taking part in a heist doomed to fail.
Running Time: 1 hour 52 Minutes
Rotten Tomatoes Score: Critics 93% Audience 86%
Why I Watched it: I was on the fence with this one, I know it got great reviews but it seems all of Edgar Wright’s film are, he’s a fanboy favorite but for me I haven’t liked a film of his since Hot Fuzz which I loved, but I can thank itunes for putting it on for .99 cents so I gave it a watch.
Random Thoughts: Like I said Edgar Wright is a fanboy favorite and I think it’s because he makes movies that are just pure movies, he doesn’t tell stories he tells movies, he works on the cool factor. I will point out though that this film’s hook of a driver who always listens to music and has a tape made by his mother is very Guardians Of The Galaxy. Going in though I knew the film was going to look good and sound good even if I’m not the biggest fan Wright is a talented director.
What I liked: I seem to be in this pattern of liking half a movie and with Baby Driver this pattern holds true cause I liked the first half way more than I thought I would. Now lets get the biggest thing out of the way, I love music almost as much as I love movies and I always like hearing a great soundtrack and to be honest Baby Driver’s soundtrack is fine and I like how they use the music but it’s not a great soundtrack.
The sound and the look of the film is top notch, the driving/chase scenes are filmed well and the film does have a quick and upbeat tone and feel to it. The acting was pretty good across the board and I liked the Kevin Spacey character, I liked that he wasn’t over the top very matter of fact about who he is and what he wants and also what he’ll do to get it. Jamie Foxx is very good here very menacing and charming, it’s showy role but I liked him. Lily James is that movie dream girl, cute and down to earth.
What I didn’t Like: The third act just fell apart for me, the script through logic out the window and also changed up characters for the worse or should I say for plot purposes. I liked Jon Hamm but his character turns pretty fast and it just didn’t ring true. Also there’s a couple of scenes that are more than just fortunate consequences for the plot, really they go this one diner where Baby’s girlfriend works, really. Also although he’s not bad Ansel Elgort is a tad bland as baby, he doesn’t have the natural energy or charm the character needed and also I didn’t buy the instant love with James, they had decent chemistry but it was so forced. Another example of something that didn’t ring true, and that’s where Wright’s more movie than story hurts a film, the young couple is in love cause that’s what happens in movies.
I did find the end long and boring at parts, the chase goes on for ever and I think ever Cop in the world is in on the chase and gets there very quickly. I also didn’t care for making the end big bad this unkillable monster, it took me out of the movie and also lost some of the good will that it did have with me.
Final Thoughts: I did like it more than I thought and if they could have given me a better written third act I might have really liked it as it is I wish it gave me a better heist story and more balanced characters. There is enough here to like for me though.
Rating: 6/10
Movie Burner Entertainment 