"Baby Driver" is a Meticulously-Crafted Masterclass in Original Film-making. Do Not Miss It!

   Edgar Wright is one of the most meticulous and unique directors of our day, and one of my favorite filmmakers in the business. His knack for storytelling coupled with his visionary style makes for really enjoyable and fast-paced movies. Some of his works are just classic, if you ask me. Shaun of the Dead is one of the greatest zombie movies ever made, and it's not really even about zombies! It just has zombies in it! The way he edits his movies is unlike any other film I've seen. He uses every sound and every frame to enhance the story, making every second count. His latest film Baby Driver is the pinnacle of what he's done in my book, and one of the most well-crafted films I've seen in a long, long time.

   Baby Driver follows the story of a young man named Baby who listens to music to drown out the incessant ringing in his ears left from an accident from childhood; and he can drive, like really well. He's a quiet, reserved young man whose musical taste is vast and whose skills as a getaway driver has placed him the hands of a serious crime boss. He uses his skills behind the wheel to pay off a debt, but is then ultimately forced into a final job that is doomed to fail. Baby Driver is as faced-pace as it comes, with slick action and witty dialogue and is insanely entertaining. I've been a fan of Edgar Wright for quite some time and when I first saw the trailers for this I couldn't help but get excited. He was initially the director for Marvel's Ant-Man a few years ago, and he laid down the preliminary groundwork for what ended up being one of Marvel's most quirky superhero films before leaving the project due to creative differences. What seemed like an unfortunate event opened the gates for him to make this movie. As cool as it would have been to see an Edgar Wright Ant-Man, I'm glad the stars aligned for him to make this film because it's a work of art.

  The chase scenes in this movie are some of the best I've ever seen, the opening of the movie in particular. I would venture to say that the opening act of Baby Driver is as perfect as film-making can get. The balance between action, dialogue, comedy, editing, sound, music, it all melds into this euphoric display of movie magic that had me grinning from ear to ear. There are a couple other chase scenes that are featured throughout the movie and each of them are different and unique and awesome in their own right. It's like watching different dance numbers, but with cars. The action outside of the car chase scenes are just as fun and riveting, but never over the top. They serve the vision of the movie and fit perfectly in line with Wright's opus of a film. Which brings me to the music. This movie is almost like a musical in a way because the entire thing is set to music. This isn't Beauty and the Beast where people break out into song, but we experience Baby's playlist as he listens to it, and the world around him is all connected. From gunfire to a head turn, from a dance move to a wink, everything is in sync and it is so much fun. Wright uses extended, unbroken takes from time to time where the choreography of the environment is just a beauty to behold, which is really the case for the film as a whole.

 
 The acting is really well done. Ansel Elgort plays Baby and even though there isn't much dialogue for his character, he's able to pull of the emotional ups and downs that Baby goes through, while carrying his own during action scenes. He's a pretty decent actor to begin with, but he does a fabulous job in this film. Kevin Spacey is perfect as the deadpanned crime boss, oozing that stale charisma that is so weird but cool at the same time. Jaime Foxx, Jon Hamm, and Eiza González are great as the other criminals, each having moments to shine without feeling over the top. Lily James plays Debora who falls for Baby and is then thrown into the crazy mix that Baby finds himself in. They all played their parts brilliantly within the orchestra of this film and the end result is just masterful.

   Edgar Wright's style is unmistakable and it's his style of film-making that is on display with this movie. Yes there's a story and plot and action and other aspects of a movie that makes it what it is, but it's that Edgar Wright style that sets is apart from other films. In some ways I think people might be turned off by that. Baby Driver is a movie that not everyone will dig, and that's okay. I think it's important though to recognize the need for more diversity in films, meaning a diversity in style. Very few movies feel fresh and new today because there's seems to be this factory-set way to make movies, and a lot of movies play on the same beats and the same style of cinematography. The one thing you can always count on with an Edgar Wright film is a stylish, slick, nothing-you've-seen-before type experience, and you get that again with Baby Driver. The cinematography is fantastic. There is literally something in every frame to pull out and enjoy and that makes the viewing of the film so much more enjoyable. The music, I can't speak enough about it. Wright has a way of editing the soundtrack together in a way that makes it a vital part of the movie, above just being a supporting soundtrack. It's just plain awesome.

   At this point I feel like I'm just becoming a broken record. Basically what I'm getting at is that Baby Driver is by far a movie that should not be missed. Grab a friend and go see this in a theater with some popcorn and your favorite movie snack; keep your eyes peeled and your ears open because every frame of this movie is there for a reason and it needs you to experience it as a whole. I'd see this again in a heartbeat. It's definitely one the best film's I've seen all year.