Baby Driver by SHINYGOODGUY

CINEMA

Baby Driver

POSTED BY: SHINYGOODGUY
UPDATED: Thursday, July 20, 2017 18:28
SHORT URL:
VIEWED: 4229
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Monday, July 17, 2017 3:20 AM

A few days ago I tried writing a little blurb of a review about Baby Driver, and somehow it was erased....gone, zip. zilch, zippo! I was pissed, because this was not the first time this had happened. So here it goes, I'm going to submit yet another attempt.

Finger crossed!

About a week ago Saturday, I went with my brother to see Baby Driver. Now, let me say that I first became aware of the movie when I went to see Wonder Woman last month. I saw a poster that intrigued me.

http://tse3.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.VvFFbqnrSzOetO6wd6DcCwDKEs&w=182
&h=270&c=7&qlt=90&o=4&pid=1.7

Cool, right!

Anyway, that got my juices flowing, so I put this movie on my list. Now, like the poster the movie was cool. Not only that, it was somewhat different because it used the character's "ability" to drive the movie's plot (see what I did there?). The story goes that "Baby" is, of course, a nick name, but that's not all. There's Buddy, Darling, Bats, JD and Griff. And there's Doc (Kevin Spacey) the badass leader of the gang out to commit high crimes and misdemeanors. Yes, it is a caper movie, but none like you've seen before. Baby has a hearing problem, but none like you've seen before - so he listens to music with the ever-present ear buds on his IPod to be able to drive with reckless abandon, but with precise and uncanny control of any vehicle.

Doc plans everything with that in mind....the getaway is always clean with Baby behind the wheel. But this world that he lives in is not his cup of tea, he's being manipulated by Doc, to whom he owes money and is working off his debt to the gangster with his driving ability. Music, you see, inspires his driving genius. Doc calls him his lucky charm. Until one day Baby meets a girl and things start going sideways. It is not so much a thriller as it is a "Gone in 60 Seconds" meets "True Romance" action piece; as Baby improvises a getaway plan of his own, but it definitely gives us a spin around the block as in a high-speed chase.

Edgar Wright really brings a special type of writing that may not agree with everyone, but certainly does bring a kind of Pulp Fiction vibe on wheels. It is the "Honey Bunny" scene in the restaurant with a tinge of the aforementioned "True Romance" with a slight difference; the Bunny in this one doesn't have a clue as to Baby's real life occupation. The clock is ticking as the moment of truth comes ever closer frame by frame and moment by moment. Baby wants more than anything to get out of the clutches of his demanding boss and start his new life with his bunny "Debora." But what makes this film some what unique and fascinating is the way Wright uses music and Baby's debilitating condition throughout the film; listen for it.

It's not a perfect film, but it is fun and a type of thrill ride on a Friday night.
There is a scene which left me scratching my head during one of the heists, but this is minor and doesn't detract from the overall fun you'll have with the high speed antics of the characters. For me, I liked it. My nephew and brother enjoyed it (my nephew is a car nut, especially the foreign models). My son was not thrilled, but I would recommend it, even if you're not a car enthusiast...you will enjoy the soundtrack....and yes, there is a bit of romance. Edgar Wright delivers once again.

SGG

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Tuesday, July 18, 2017 5:38 AM

JEWELSTAITEFAN

That deaf, dumb and blind kid sure plays a mean pinball.

Music through earbuds? mutually incompatible terms.

Not sure if I'll catch it before DVD.

But this was one of your must-see films, right?

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Wednesday, July 19, 2017 5:28 AM

SHINYGOODGUY

One of the "I wanna see" films, added on in midstream. Like I said, when I went to see Wonder Woman last month.

SGG

Quote:
Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:
That deaf, dumb and blind kid sure plays a mean pinball.

Music through earbuds? mutually incompatible terms.

Not sure if I'll catch it before DVD.

But this was one of your must-see films, right?

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Wednesday, July 19, 2017 11:06 AM

GWEK

I saw it yesterday and I'm with SGG.

The movie manages the rare feat of being cool and fun at the same time, and feels like the intersection of Quentin Tarantino and James Gunn, with a little bit of Ocean's Eleven mixed in for good measure. (In fact, Wright contacted Gunn to make sure their soundtracks didn't overlap: http://www.avclub.com/article/edgar-wright-james-gunn-texted-make-sure
-their-sou-257898)

Y'know how a lot of folks lament "They don't make 'em like they used to?" This movie proves that they CAN make 'em like they used to, and still add in modern sensibilities.

Although the movie leans on old tropes a bit too much at times (where would all the Noble Criminals of the world be were it not for Waitresses with Hearts of Gold?) and the end may be a bit weak, this is, overall, a delightful movie with a strong script, a great cast, and wonderful visuals.

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Thursday, July 20, 2017 5:21 AM

SHINYGOODGUY

Thanks Gwek, I'm glad you enjoyed. It did feel somewhat "old fashioned" especially those diner scenes and the relationship with the old man. I was tapping my feet as well as sitting on the edge of it (a weird combination), but I was entertained all throughout Baby Driver.

Select to view spoiler:

Did you happen to catch the very subtle way that Wright presented Baby's affliction? Baby suffers from tinnitus and uses the music to drown out the ringing, and Wright actually uses the "ringing" sound a few times in the film whenever Baby removes his earbuds. I noticed it along with my nephew who thought that was a cool move on the part of the director

It's about time someone challenge the tried and true - and boring - formula in film today. Well, of course, unless it's well done. The outstanding directors who make a movie with classic results are hard to come by, but this movie tilted the story slightly to gain a new perspective using some old fashioned techniques to keep us sharp and alert. I really liked Wright's approach....Bravo for him. He normally takes chances, and I like that (see Scott Pilgrim, Shaun of the Dead and The World's End).

SGG

Quote:
Originally posted by GWEK:
I saw it yesterday and I'm with SGG.

The movie manages the rare feat of being cool and fun at the same time, and feels like the intersection of Quentin Tarantino and James Gunn, with a little bit of Ocean's Eleven mixed in for good measure. (In fact, Wright contacted Gunn to make sure their soundtracks didn't overlap: http://www.avclub.com/article/edgar-wright-james-gunn-texted-make-sure
-their-sou-257898)

Y'know how a lot of folks lament "They don't make 'em like they used to?" This movie proves that they CAN make 'em like they used to, and still add in modern sensibilities.

Although the movie leans on old tropes a bit too much at times (where would all the Noble Criminals of the world be were it not for Waitresses with Hearts of Gold?) and the end may be a bit weak, this is, overall, a delightful movie with a strong script, a great cast, and wonderful visuals.

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Thursday, July 20, 2017 6:28 PM

JEWELSTAITEFAN

Quote:
Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:
Thanks Gwek, I'm glad you enjoyed. It did feel somewhat "old fashioned" especially those diner scenes and the relationship with the old man. I was tapping my feet as well as sitting on the edge of it (a weird combination), but I was entertained all throughout Baby Driver.
Select to view spoiler:
Did you happen to catch the very subtle way that Wright presented Baby's affliction? Baby suffers from tinnitus and uses the music to drown out the ringing, and Wright actually uses the "ringing" sound a few times in the film whenever Baby removes his earbuds. I noticed it along with my nephew who thought that was a cool move on the part of the director

It's about time someone challenge the tried and true - and boring - formula in film today. Well, of course, unless it's well done. The outstanding directors who make a movie with classic results are hard to come by, but this movie tilted the story slightly to gain a new perspective using some old fashioned techniques to keep us sharp and alert. I really liked Wright's approach....Bravo for him. He normally takes chances, and I like that (see Scott Pilgrim, Shaun of the Dead and The World's End).

SGG

I had some interest in seeing it due to the past work of Wright, but I wasn't fully drawn to it.

Select to view spoiler:

But your spoiler info is very informative. I don't recall knowing he had tinnitus. I normally don't suffer fools who consider noise from earbuds to be music. However, tinnitus is a non-rhythmic noise - which disrupts cognitive thought. The process you describe is known as masking - and having rhythmic sounds drowning out the other is a soothing balm for the mind. If the audio in use were classical, that could be the most productive and thought-enhancing, as proven in many case studies - however, the lulls or fermatas inherent in classic pieces would fail to adequately mask the sounds he is afflicted with. The audio I heard in ads/trailers did not convey this concept, so I had not considered it.

So now I'll try to catch it before it ends the cinema run.

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