Wednesday, October 18, 2017

‘Blu-ray or Bust’ - BABY DRIVER



‘Blu-ray or Bust’
BABY DRIVER (2017, R, 112 minutes, TRI-STAR PICTURES/SONY)


It’s funny how a film can sneak up on you.  There are some that you understand well before hand what you are walking into—like the Marvel Universe films, the FAST AND THE FURIOUS franchise, and just about everything Judi Dench is in.  You expect action, a little comedy, or a bit of drama.

And then there is that one guy that gets a vision so intricately broad that you can’t help but smiling at the accomplishment.  Writer/director Edgar Wright, the brilliant mind behind SHAUN OF THE DEAD, SCOTT PILGRIM VS THE WORLD, and THE WORLD’S END, has crafted an engaging comedic thriller based upon the most basic of premises.  “Baby” (played by Ansel Elgort of the DIVERGENT films) is a getaway driver for the mob, and he wants out.  Sounds familiar, right?


What is totally unfamiliar to the genre is an action film choreographed to the soundtrack. Sure, you’ll get certain scenes in films that give you an aural and visual taste of this playful form of filmmaking; James Gunn’s wonderful effort in GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL 2 is a recent highlight to this artistic stroke; the scene aboard Yondu’s ship, as he dispatches his mutinous crew to “Come a Little Bit Closer” by Jay and the Americans is sheer genius in its execution. But to make the effort of choreographing the action of every character to the soundtrack, in literally every scene?  Madness, I tell you.


Thank goodness for the unique madness which is Edgar Wright.     From money hitting a table to shoes slapping on concrete, there isn’t a wasted noise or movement in this film.  It takes a love for the craft which is filmmaking to execute something this grand (or grandiose, for that matter) so well.  It is a singularly unique vision, one with a soundtrack that works to accentuate not just every scene, but to also punctuate every movement and spoken word.

The only problems I have with the film is with the story (which stutters a bit in the third act), but it isn’t enough to derail the film or make you reach for the pause button.  The cast is almost perfect; Jon Hamm and Kevin Spacey are great as usual, and Elza Gonzalez and Lily James are two kickass love interests that complement their action-oriented men perfectly. Write also hired musicians for his film—Flea of The Red Hot Chili Peppers is easy to spot, but Paul Williams is almost unrecognizable.  The only problem I really had with the casting was Jamie Foxx.  As much as I appreciate the man, I wonder at times if his performance isn’t a parody of some other character.  He is typically a solid performer, but there aren’t too many layers to his “Bats” in DRIVER.  He portrays a walking, talking, attitude with an agenda, and sometimes I want more out of him.  This is, after all, the man that so brilliantly brought Ray Charles to life on the silver screen.


The Blu-ray is loaded with extras, including several behind the scenes docs.  If you only watch one, make sure it is “Find Something Funky On There”; it shows how they choreographed the scenes to the music, and how every actor had so much more to do than act.  But you should really watch all of them; seeing the crew having to work FOR on on-site editor is interesting, as is Ansel learning how to drive like a professional.

Wright’s next film will be for DreamWorks Animation, although there are rumors of a possible sequel for BABY.  For an artist that dropped ANT-MAN to make this project, you get the feeling that he knows exactly what he is doing, and how he wants to do it.  Hollywood is smart to just let this man take the wheel.

Film Grade: B+
Special Features: A
Blu-ray Necessary: Abso-freakin’-lutely

-- T.S. Kummelman

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