Baby (Ansel Elgort), a tinnitus afflicted getaway driver for mastermind Doc (Kevin Spacey), tries to escape the criminal underworld while falling in love with waitress Deborah (Lily James). Wright dodges most of the 'one last job' tropes you'd expect, or at least distracts from them with slick visuals and engaging characters. Baby is an inherently cool character, whether he's pulling off jaw-dropping stunts or sauntering down the street in an especially impressive tracking shot brimming with fun visual beats. Elgort's affable smile and believable chemistry with James raises the titular protagonist above a clichéd 'moralistic thief with a heart of gold' archetype.
The supporting cast of criminals are equally watchable. Spacey is so threatening he makes the word "bananas" sound menacing. Lunatic couple Jon Hamm and Eiza González share a bizarre sort of love, with matching tattoos and lovingly committing crime together. Hamm has a increasingly unnerving character arc to boot. Wild card Bats (Jamie Foxx) is the most antagonistic in a the group of antagonists, always a step away from murdering someone or questioning Baby's ability. Jon Berthnal is a plus, in a short but sweet appearance.
But let's get back to Wright. He's demonstrated his impeccable rhythm throughout the Cornetto trilogy, ie, Shaun of the Dead's planning montages. Baby Driver takes it to the next level. Every set piece is intricately aligned with the music; as we build up to a chaotic gunfight, there's Tequila, juxtaposing the increasing tension with the Latin instrumental piece. The Bellbottoms opening is an outstanding array of heist driving, with every minor movement linking up to the song. Thankfully it doesn't end after the first five minutes. Right until the end, seats will gripped, chuckles will be had and toes will be tapped.
FIVE STARS. That said, Nowhere to Run (to baby) and When Something Is Wrong With My Baby are slightly on the nose.
No comments:
Post a Comment