BABY DRIVER
US, 2017, 112 minutes, Colour.
Ansel Elgort, Jon Bernthal, Jamie Foxx, Jon Hamm, Eliza Gonzalez, Lily James, Kevin Spacey, CJ Jones.
Directed by Edgar Wright.
Wondering about the title Baby Driver, and hearing the Simon and Garfunkel reference during the film, it seemed worthwhile to check the lyrics of their song to get a feel for what writer-director, Edgar Wright, was imagining with this film:
They call me Baby Driver
And once upon a pair of wheels
I hit the road and I'm gone
What's my number
I wonder how your engines feel
Ba ba ba ba
Scoot down the road
What's my number
I wonder how your engines feel
Edgar Wright has a solid reputation, especially for his classics Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, his American graphic novel film, Scott Pilgrim versus the World (not so sure about The World’s End). He hails, from Britain, filming an American story in Atlanta, Georgia.
We are in no doubt about the ability of Baby as a driver, right from the start in his getaway car, manoeuvres and manipulation, rather breathtaking at times, through the streets of the city. In fact, throughout the film, there are more getaway escapades as well as an elaborate chase on foot through the streets, stores, amenities of the city.
So, who is this Baby Driver, a young man, tall, rather baby-faced, somewhat self-effacing, with his earplugs in all the time listening to quite a range of songs. It is explained later that in a childhood accident, with the death of his parents, he has tinnitus, continual ringing in his ears which he drowns out with the music. (In fact, the theme of hearing becomes prominent in the film as Baby’s foster parent is deaf, reads lips, and the two communicate with sign language – and the character, Joe, is played by CJ Jones who in real-life has hearing disability.)
Ansel Elgort has been in quite a few films, including the Divergency series as well as the romantic drama about terminal illness, The Fate in our Stars. On the strength of this striking and persuasive performance, he should be in strong demand for movies for quite some time. He carries the film and continually commands audience attention and sympathy.
But, whom does he drive for? The answer is generally-suave businessman, heist-controller, played in his familiarly sinister but genteel manner by Kevin Spacey. He has a rogue’s gallery of clients, especially the brutal Jamie Foxx as Bats, and Jon Hamm, very strong in films these days after his years in Mad Men, and Eliza Gonzalez as his partner, a trigger-happy couple.
The robbery sequences and, especially, the getaways, are violent, exciting, and, for the audience, adrenaline-pumping (and definitely not to be emulated in real life).
Actually, Baby is at the end of his contract with Doc and is hoping for a better life, especially with Debora, a sympathetic waitress in a diner with whom he strikes up a close friendship. She is played by Lily James, far away from both Downton Abbey and Cinderella.
Edgar Wright certainly knows how to make films. He can frame characters that bring them to more vivid life than usual. His editing and pace provide continual excitement and attention. And the dialogue, often combines humour and wit, and offhand movie references, with the serious matters.
The last part of the film might not be exactly what the audience is expecting, but its heart is in the right place, justices seem to be done, and depending on the box office (which should be huge), we might be seeing more of Baby and Debora.
1. Lively action entertainment?
2. The director, his work and imagination? A British director and his perspective on the United States? And the critical acclaim for the film, and popular at the box office?
3. The city of Atlanta, the setting, the reliance on the landscapes and the cityscapes, the streets, the buildings, apartments, the diner, garages, banks and post offices?
4. The musical score, Baby and his love of listening to music, the range of songs, his own orchestrating songs with taped comments, his collection? His mother’s tape?
5. The importance of the action, the stunt work, the editing and pace, the car chases, Baby on foot and the chase and range of locations?
6. Baby, his age, his back story, his parents and their fighting, his mother as a singer, Baby in the back of the car, the repetition of the crash sequence, his injuries and scars? The effect on him, stealing at a young age, stealing Doc’s car, the contents? Indebted to Doc? Paying off his debt, his skill in driving, getaway? At home, Joe and his fostering, deaf and communication, Baby looking after him, hiding the money, Joe and his criticisms about dirty money?
7. Baby and his skills in driving, the various getaways, the stunt work and the adrenaline for the audience? His listening to the music? His skills but being at the service of the criminals? His capacity for listening, grief and his criticisms, Baby listening to music but able to give a verbatim report about the plans? That’s and his criticisms? The robberies, the aftermath, the dividing of the money, giving him money and his hiding it? The robbery with the Austin Powers masks, shooting, the getaway, the coffees, dividing the money, JD murdered and in the trunk of the car?
8. Going to the diner, meeting Deborah, the attraction, her singing, recording her? The promise that it would be his last job? The meetings with Deborah, the plan to go in a big car, anywhere, having no plans?
9. Joe, persuading him to get the pizza job, Doc finding him, knowing everything about him, the next job?
10. Doc, his control, the variety of jobs, the plans, the money, his range of clients, his connections with the police, the setup of the arms deal, Bats and his suspicions, mowing down all the police?
11. The plan for the post office, Baby going in for surveillance, Doc’s nephew, listening to the music, like Baby, but able to give him all the details of the setup and the post office? The friendly encounter with the woman at the counter? The next day, Baby waiting, indicating to the woman not to go in, her returning with the security guard? The getaway, the failure, Buddy and Darling and the shootout, her death? Buddy’s reactions?
12. Buddy and Darling, the plans, the robberies? The arms deal and their bloodthirsty shooting? Bats and his interrogation of Buddy and the Wall Street background?
13. Bats, unpleasant personality, suspicious, the arms deal, the shooting – and the suddenness and viciousness of his own death?
14. Everybody waiting for the post office job, after the arms deal and their going to the diner, Baby seeming to ignore Debora, leaving the note, the plan, her waiting? Buddy and Bats suspicious about Baby and their confining him? Ransacking Baby’s apartment, Joe surviving, their taking the tapes, their listening – and finding that Baby was genuine? The explanation that he had tinnitus from the accident as a child and that he listened to the tapes to counterbalance the ringing in his ear?
15. The failure of the post office job, Doc and his reaction? Baby and his plans to leave, going to see Doc, Doc and the confrontation, his giving money to Baby? Allowing Baby to get back his tapes, especially that of his mother?
16. The tenacity of Buddy, surviving, waiting in the diner for Baby, the gun, the confrontation? Baby and his leaving with Debora?
17. Buddy, the pursuit, the cars, the threats to Debora, the fights, and Buddy’s death.
18. The film continuing on, Debora and Baby in the car, the bridge, his surrender into the police, his trial, the testimony of the old lady whose purse he gave back, Joe, the woman at the post office, that Baby had a good heart? Seeing him in prison, the prison guard, the music? The sentence, the possibility for parole? Debora and her postcards and promise to wait for him?
19. An action film, the adrenaline touches, the comic touches, the humane touches – and delivering what it promised?
