Baby Driver * * * *

       The reluctant driver is a frequent “dark horse” character in heist movies.  Typically he’s separate from the rest of the gang.  He’s a person with extraordinary driving skills.  No one faster, more precise or reliable, but hating having to work for these low-lifes. But they’ve usually got something over him, with the Boss Man (in this case Kevin Spacey) always telling him one more job, just one more job, and then you're free to walk away.

       Baby Driver celebrates all these classic scenarios and more:

Quick! The meters expired.

       “Baby” as everyone calls him is a young man with a tragic background. He’s a loner, but he has a dependent person in his life who he has sworn to look after. Then there’s the real pretty waitress in a diner who he falls for.  A vision of innocence, and the contrast he needs to the other people in his life.

      But none of these situations come across as unimaginative cliche’s in Edgar Wright’s Baby Driver. Like Tarantino’s work, it celebrates these classic cinematic situations - and so do we.  
Baby Driver might be predictable but it doesn’t disappoint plus it’s got a great twist - music, tons of it.

      Despite his difficult situation Baby is a cheeky, upbeat character .  He lives with his iPod buds in his ears.  The people he’s with might not hear what he’s jiving to but we do - in full blast. Which is particularly exhilarating as we drive maniacally through city traffic at breakneck speeds.

     For the most part Baby Driver is a lot of fun, though the rather long ending scenario with Baby’s “to the death” conflict with one of the gang just pushes things a wee bit too hard. Otherwise it’s hard not to enjoy the ride - especially with that rocking sound track.