Jeri Jacquin
Racing into theatres this Friday from writer/director Edgar
Wright and Tri-Star Pictures is the song mix of the summer with BABY DRIVER.
Baby (Ansel Elgort) is a quiet young man who has the uncanny
knack for calm driving in intense situations. That is exactly what boss man Doc
(Kevin Spacey) consistently counts on. Using Baby’s wheel talent for heists, it
quickly becomes clear that Doc is using him.
Taking car of a worried Joseph (CJ Jones), Baby lets him
know that one more job will get him free of Doc. Using music to keep his focus,
it takes lovely waitress Deborah (Lily James) to pull out the ear buds.
Finishing his last job with Doc, Baby wants to be part of
life without fear. Taking a job in pizza retail, even Joseph is happier. Taking
Deborah out for a grand dinner to celebrate, Baby freaks when he sees Doc who
sways him in for one more go by threatening through charm.
Putting a plan into action, Doc recruits Buddy (Jon Hamm),
his gal Darling (Eliza Gonzalez) and Batts (Jamie Foxx) for the most intense
and brazen score. Keeping focused, Baby is about to turn left while everyone
else goes right and all to the beat of his own iPod.
Never mistake being quiet for being a pushover!
Elgort as Baby is brilliant! Everything about this
character, Elgort makes look so seamless and easy. From his smooth walking,
music choices and quirkiness, Baby is somebody you watch intently and cheer on
with an evil grin. Also, Elgort is as cool as an outsider can possibly be and I
loved every minute of his performance. Can someone explain to me why isn’t he
Han Solo?
Spacey as Doc is just impeccable because, as everyone should
know by now, you don’t mess with the Spacey! This actor has brought roles of
badness to a level no one can touch. As Doc he once again plays outside the
good guy lines with a gleam in his eye all the way.
Jones as Joseph cares so much about Baby and it is in their
relationship that a deeper understanding of his story comes to light. James as
Deborah is charming, sweet and knows Baby isn’t all he seems yet she doesn’t
hesitate to be all in.
Foxx as Batts is intense and out to get all he can. Having a
problem with Baby from the moment they meet, Foxx has no problem showing his
edgy side. Gonzalez as Darling is into her man and the money they get together.
At the same time she certainly isn’t shy about cutting someone down who gets in
her way.
Other cast includes Sky Ferreira as Baby’s Mother, Lane
Palmer as Baby’s father, Flea as Eddie, Lanny Joon as JD and Jon Bernthal as
Griff.
TUBS OF POPCORN: I give BABY DRIVER four and a half tubs of
popcorn out of five. Giving Edgar Wright the props he totally deserves, this
film has saved my film sanity. Depressed at the ridiculous franchise films,
superheroes being jammed down my throat and lack of imagination elsewhere in
tinsel town, BABY DRIVER gave me story, action, cinematography and music for
months to come.
The audience was yelling, cheering and laughing from start
to finish. There is something to be said for sitting in a theatre and to be
taken on a ride in so many storyline directions. Does it hurt to have a cool
ass cast and awesome soundtrack? In this case, not one dayyuum bit!
In the first five minutes of the film I was happily hooked
and like a kid, I found myself sitting on the edge of my seat wanting more.
Translated…I was having fun. Using music across so many eras allowed something
for everyone to lip-synch too.
Car chases, underlying stories, sweet romance, good guys,
bad guys and the lines between them blurred, BABY DRIVER is a mash-up of what
summer fun at the movies is all about. Grab a group of cool, a large bucket of
popcorn, sit middle seat dead center and mentally buckle up for 113 minutes of
awesome.
In the end – all you need is one killer track!
