Full speed ahead with a pitchperfect script
BABY DRIVER Direction: Edgar Wright Actors: Ansel Elgort, Lily James
Don’t be misled by the title. This is NOT another kiddie comedy along the lines of Baby’s Day Out. The eponymous wheel- man of the music-fueled action thriller is a baby-faced driver in the employ of a professional thief (Kevin Spacey, the epitome of criminal cool).
Intriguingly the taciturn youngster, who is never without his ear-buds connected to an iPod, relies on an eclectic playlist to safely manoeuvre getaway cars amid the back-alleys of Atlanta.
The soundtrack features tunes by the likes of Simon and Garfunkel, Queen and Carla Thomas. A passion project of over two decades for Edgar Wright, the British writer-director displays a distinct affection for the car-chase genre. Leaving the viewer gasping for breath, the vehicular stunts here look dangerously real.
The pitch-perfect script captures the dilemma facing Baby (Elgort, in a star-making turn) and a diner waitress (James) who’s the girl of his dreams. Warm without ever becoming mushy, their relationship forms the film’s emotional core.
Coerced by his boss into taking part in one last heist, the wheelman senses that there is a threat to his life and that of his loved one. Under the circumstances, he is determined to face the music on his own.
There are several killer action scenes, such as an illegal arms deal, which provide an adrenaline jolt.
As for the climactic shooting spree-cum-smashdown, it raises the bar for other auteurs.
In supporting roles of triggerhappy henchmen, Jon Hamm and Jamie Foxx are standouts. The fluid cinematography by Bill Pope lends lustre to the film.
It might be too soon to make predictions, after all July has only just begun.
But it’s very likely that Baby Driver will rank among the few purely enjoyable films of 2017. Speed on.