Baby Driver

Another Edgar Wright Movie

By Kade Terry

Overview 
Though the title of this review may seem 
slightly cynical and could be taken as a 
negative, it really isn’t. Edgar Wright directing 
and writing styles are all present here, with 
clever cuts and imagery abundant enough to 
make a second viewing almost necessary. 
Kevin Spacey’s presence does have a few 
moments that can make the viewer wince, 
but doesn’t subtract from the film overall. 
 
 
 
 
 
Summary 
Baby (Ansel Elgort) is a professional getaway driver for various robberies 
and crimes that are committed under the direction of Doc (Kevin Spacey). 
All while having tinnitus, a symptom that causes random ringing in the ears, 
which he blocks out by constantly playing music. Baby is reluctant to 
continue this profession, rather wanting to settle down and spend more 
time with the local waitress Debora (Lily James) but finds himself being 
continually dragged back into the world of high speed chases and stolen 
bricks of cash. This is all highlighted by a fantastic soundtrack that even 
makes a coffee-run exciting. 
 
 
 
Performances 
Baby Driver has the benefit of having a likeable cast filled with great 
performances. Ansel Elgort does very well to charm the audience as well as 
garner their sympathy. 
Sometimes he does get a 
little mumbly and hard to 
understand, but this is more 
a character trait rather than 
a fault of the film. Jamie 
Foxx cashes in another 
great performance as the 
sociopath of the group 
known as Bats, and the two 
lovers Buddy (Jon Hamm) 
and Darling (Eiza Gonzalez) do well as the “Bonnie and Clyde” stand-ins. 
Kevin Spacey does well to command the room as the leader of the band of 
robbers, keeping a threatening presence of mystery about him. 
 
Editing 
This is an Edgar Wright film, and with an Edgar Wright film comes some of 
the best editing and cinematography in Hollywood. Editors Paul Machliss 
and Jonathan Amos have both worked with Edgar Wright before, most 
notably on Scott Pilgrim vs the World. The editing shines most in the action 
scenes, whether these are gunfights or car chases, the editing excites and 
enhances.  
 
Soundtrack  
With constant ringing in his ears, Baby is forced to constantly play music in 
order to drown it out. The film takes full advantage of this concept, 
constantly playing music, and when it doesn’t play music, it rings. This 
application of soundtrack allows for scenes that equal parts humorous and 
awesome. This is seen most of all in its gunfights, where gunshots line up 
perfectly with the beat of the song playing in Baby’s ears. This combined 
with Wright’s editing style turns ordinary gunfights into extraordinary action 
scenes. Even when there's not guns being fired or cars being chased, there 
may be music playing that keeps even the most dull of scenes interesting 
and engaging. 
 
Final Thoughts 
Baby Driver is a high-speed and highly enjoyable thriller with a great 
soundtrack. I would recommend this movie to anyone, as long as they don’t 
find the idea of Kevin Spacey too distracting. With action scenes that pop 
out of the screens and personalities to match, I found this movie to be a 
solid 8.5 out of 10. I hope you found my review helpful, and thanks for 
reading.  
 
 
Images Taken From: 
Image 1:​https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3890160/ 
Image 2: 
https://variety.com/2017/film/reviews/baby-driver-review-edgar-wright-120
2006730/