'Baby Driver' review: Come for action, stay for music

Movie - Baby Driver

Director - Edgar Wright

Cast - Ansel Elgort, Kevin Spacey, Jon Hamm, Jamie Foxx, Lily James, Eiza González, Jon Bernthal

What's it about - 

Baby (Ansel Elgort) is an on call getaway driver for a heist runner Doc (Kavin Spacey). Doc has one rule: Never work with the same group of hustlers. But what's a movie if that rule is not broken. For one last heist, Doc picks Buddy (Jon Hamm) and his wife Darling (Eiza González) and pairs them with Bats (Jamie Foxx). Baby is their driver but for this job, he has his own plan. Things go south when team members start doubting Baby's intentions and a musical chaos ensues.

What's good - 

Baby has an ear condition which he has to drown out by listening to music. Boy, that guy has some taste. Director Edgar Wright has made an action-musical which includes gems from Queen's 'Brighton Rock' to Simon & Garfunkle's 'Baby Driver' (obviously!). And a brand new track by Danger Mouse featuring Run The Jewels and Big Boi called ‘Chase Me’ taking up the song tally to a staggering 30 songs! Not a single one is out of place. The songs are paired with the fight and chase scenes. So when the percussion for 'Tequila' comes on, forget the drum beats and say hello to bullet blasts. Do you hear strings? Think not, it's overlapped by car drifts and drags.

Wright has kept the screenplay crisp and dialogues peppy. 

For example - Doc: So here's the thing. I am looking at some of the country's finest thugs and of course, young 'Mozart in the Go-Kart' over there. 

But the real strength of the movie lies in the music and action choreography.  

What's not - 

The emotional context for the change of heart with Doc and Buddy's characters lacks depth. The change of tone is abrupt and that makes the last ride bumpy. Jamie Foxx does justice to his crazy character, but Wright falls short in utilising the acting chops of masters like Kevin Spacey and Jon Hamm. Actresses in the movie are there to look pretty and they do the job well.

What's that - 

You have to keep your eyes peeled when Bob & Earl's 'Harlem Shuffle' plays on screen as Baby grooves his way to a cafe. The lyrics of the 1963 R&B song make an appearance on strategically placed graffiti and flyers on the street.

Edgar Wright fans will be happy to see a shorter version of 'fence-jumping' sequence that became famous after his 'Cornetto Trilogy.'

What to do - 

It's fun entertainer with a more than generous serving of great music. Nothing to miss here.

Rating - ***1/2