BABY DRIVER: SXSW MOVIE REVIEW

After dropping out of Marvel’s Ant-Man, cult director Edgar Wright returns to the big screen with an original script, over 20 years in the making.

Baby Driver follows a young getaway driver (Ansel Elgort) who is coerced by a crime boss (Kevin Spacey) to take part in a heist that quickly goes south. The twist here is that he is a music fanatic whose life syncs up to the tunes on his iPod. The simplest way to describe Baby Driver is “La La Land meets The Fast and the Furious”. It’s high-speed thrills, often paired with a playful soundtrack, all done in Wright’s flashy, comedic style.

While this premise could come off as gimmicky, Baby Driver’s eclectic tunes carry significance and were carefully selected to heighten its elaborate set pieces. To maintain this kinetic spirit throughout, there are some very energetic performances from Elgort and the supporting cast (including Jamie Foxx, John Hamm, and Lily James).

Unfortunately, the script isn’t nearly as noteworthy as its execution. There’s very little new here-story-wise, and a few of the supporting characters rely on tropes rather than character development. That being said, this is leagues better than the standard summer fare we’re used to. Baby Driver is rich with wit and charm, it’s visually engaging (as expected from an Edgar Wright film), and it’ll be a very enjoyable treat for the end of the summer movie season.

Sony Pictures will release Baby Driver in theaters on June 28th.

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JORDAN FIGUEREDO

WRITER JORDAN FIGUEREDO

Jordan Figueredo is an actor and content writer specializing in film criticism and cultural commentary. He has attended various festivals, including the Toronto International Film Festival and South by Southwest. Figueredo can also be seen onstage, winning Best Supporting Actor in Plant Theater Co.’s production of Squat in 2016.

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