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United Kingdom, United States · 2017
Rated R · 1h 53m
Director Edgar Wright
Starring Ansel Elgort, Lily James, Kevin Spacey, Jon Hamm
Genre Action, Crime
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After being coerced into working for a crime boss, a young getaway driver finds himself taking part in a heist doomed to fail. He plans to go straight and pursue a better life, but must first work one last job and deal with volatile criminals while trying to stay alive — and out of jail.
The concept of the car chase suffered in limbo for too long with inexperienced directors too often cutting corners instead of respecting why films like “The French Connection,” “Bullitt” and “Ronin” are still held in high regard today. Like all great students, Wright tips his hat to the teachers and refuses to phone in the camerawork on his stunts.
Baby Driver, Wright’s first-ever solo screenplay, is a thrilling and original cinematic joyride that pays homage to heist masterpieces while creating a legacy of its own.
Baby Driver is exhilarating, fantastically entertaining, and mildly frustrating, all at the same time.
The director’s most ambitious work to date is a wildly successful romantic heist comedy, propelled from scene to scene with a lively soundtrack that elevates its slick chase scenes into a realm of musicality that develops its own satisfying beat.
The Hollywood Reporter by John DeFore
A crime-flick love story as Pop-conscious as Wright's earlier work but unironic about its romantic core, it will delight the director's fans but requires no film-geek certification.
We Got This Covered by Matt Donato
Baby Driver proves why we should never doubt Edgar Wright's vision, because few filmmakers can back their ambition with such quality thrills.
Consequence of Sound by Michael Roffman
No Hollywood suit and no diehard fan could have had the foresight to picture something like this, namely because nobody but Wright had any idea what this was supposed to be. This is something that’s been brewing inside his head for over two decades, and that unquestionable dedication, confidence, and passion fuels each and every scene of Baby Driver.
Like all Edgar Wright movies, Baby Driver is a blast, featuring wall-to-wall music and a surfeit of inspired ideas. But it’s also something of a mess, blaring pop tunes of every sort as it lurches between rip-roaring car chases, colorful pre-caper banter, and a twee young-love subplot.
The Telegraph by Robbie Collin
The mechanisms at work in Baby Driver, while calibrated with hair’s-breadth precision, are nothing new. Here’s what is: the sheer glee with which the film prods around in its own clockwork to show you what spins what.
Rarely do we see a filmmaker start so strong only to end with a whimper. All in all, though, Baby Driver is still worth seeking out, if only for that first hour. Inside those opening 60 minutes is the best action-comedy of the last ten years — full stop — featuring a breathtaking amalgamation of rip-roaring combat, a star-making performance by Ansel Elgort, and a string of clever bits.
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If you're a sucker for a good movie soundtrack, this film is for you. Wright's use of diegetic sound is extremely clever, putting a new spin on the classic car chase film. And, the all-star cast does not disappoint.
Ok, this movie is technically extremely well done. The star of this film is whoever did the sound design. I actually rarely notice sound design in films, but it's just so well done here; the sound designed plays with the score and perspective in ways I have never seen before. But beneath all that technical excellence and stylish exterior is a rather bland action film that lacks substance.
Baby Driver a stylish thrill ride from start to finish, with a great cast, solid story, and perfect blend of drama and humor. The action sequences are amazing, largely due to the music choices and sound design. In fact, one could argue that music is really the main character of this film, as its importance to the protagonist and influence on the flow of the action ultimately define the movie. The story may not be the most meticulously crafted narrative, but it doesn't need to be. The film uses levity to patch up the parts that may not hold up to intense scrutiny, allowing audiences to focus on it's true strengths of action and music - and in those departments, Baby Driver does not disappoint.