Tuesday, Great Movies, 9:00pm
Edgar Wright’s Baby Driver (2017) is a film that transcends the boundaries of traditional action cinema, blending heist thrills with a pulsating musical heartbeat. Anchored by Ansel Elgort's magnetic performance as Baby, a young getaway driver with tinnitus who choreographs his life to the beat of his personal soundtrack, the film is a stylish tour de force. Wright’s direction elevates a familiar genre, weaving music and motion into an intricately synchronized ballet of car chases and emotional beats. Every gear shift and gunshot syncs seamlessly with the rhythms of the music, making Baby Driver as much a visual feast as an auditory experience.
The soundtrack is the film’s lifeblood, featuring an eclectic mix of soul, rock, funk, and hip-hop tracks that are meticulously curated to mirror Baby’s internal world. Standout songs like “Bellbottoms” by The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and “Hocus Pocus” by Focus punctuate the film’s high-octane action sequences, while Simon & Garfunkel’s "Baby Driver" lends a whimsical irony to Baby's otherwise dangerous occupation. Wright’s deep cuts, such as Carla Thomas’s "B-A-B-Y" and Beck’s "Debra," not only underscore key emotional moments but also reflect his encyclopedic knowledge of music. The soundtrack’s cohesion speaks to Wright’s ability to marry narrative and melody in a way that feels organic and thrilling.
What makes Baby Driver truly remarkable is its thematic resonance, explored through the music. Each track seems to amplify Baby’s struggle between his criminal ties and his desire for freedom and love, particularly with Debora (Lily James). The blend of vintage and modern tunes mirrors Baby’s tug-of-war between past debts and future possibilities. By making music an intrinsic part of its storytelling, Baby Driver doesn’t just stand out as a heist film; it becomes a cinematic mixtape of rebellion, redemption, and rhythm. This is a film where sound and vision are so inseparably fused that it demands to be experienced with the volume cranked high.
- Daisy Mae