So I was emotionally preparing myself for chase that either had no music, and just intense car chase sounds, or muffled sound (or no sound at all) as Baby’s hearing slowly recovered. It would be the perfect counterpoint to the two earlier chase sequences ( Baby Driver is very front-loaded with chases), which were defined by the soundtrack, choreography, and rhythm. She’d mouth something loving and inspirational for him to read her lips, and they’d burn rubber out onto the streets. She’d lead him over to a car, helping him into the driver’s seat, only for him to object and say that he can’t do it. Debora would hear police sirens closing in and would communicate to Baby that they need to go. I could even see how it would all play out. So now with his hearing gone, even temporarily, I felt things were heading towards Baby and Debora trying to escape from Atlanta with cops everywhere, only this time with Baby having to overcome his fear of driving without his tunes. From a story standpoint, we’d seen earlier when Baby stole a car that he wouldn’t drive away from the scene until he could find the right driving song. It seemed like everything was perfectly set up for one last action sequence, a run from the cops. As with most movies, I was very emotionally invested in Baby Driver by this point, and I was convinced at a subconscious level that things were building to a final chase. I don’t like guessing at surprise twists or even anticipating obvious emotional or story beats, preferring instead to let the movie take me on its journey at its own pace, content to live in the moment when watching a film. Usually I don’t make a conscious effort to try to figure out what’s coming in a film. Now here’s where things didn’t click for me. Buddy fires his gun next to Baby’s ears, temporarily deafening him before Debora and Baby manage to send him to his inevitable death. Baby and Debora eventually force Buddy’s car over a ledge, thinking they’ve killed him, only for Buddy to make one last surprise appearance. When two of them are killed, Baby and Debora are forced into a showdown with Buddy (played by Jon Hamm), who eventually corners the lovebirds in a parking garage as they try to escape and start a new life. But when he falls for waitress Debora he tries to leave the life behind only to get roped back in, eventually causing him to fight back and ruin the plans of the criminals he works alongside. His whole life moves in time to the music he chooses to play, and he’ll even pause a getaway in order to restart a song to get on the right beat for his driving. (Spoilers below, obviously!) So for those who haven’t seen Baby Driver, it centers on a young man named Baby who drives getaway cars for various robberies/heists, and who constantly listens to music on an iPod to drown out ringing in his ears caused by tinnitus from the car crash that killed his parents. However, I find myself still hung up on Baby Driver’s ending. Baby Driver was a solid A film for me, and I look forward to seeing it again as I know I’ll pick up on many details I missed the first time. I’m still amazed by the intricacy of the filming and post production work required to make each moment of the film move in rhythm with whatever song happens to be playing on Baby’s iPod. I loved the eccentric characters, the chemistry between Ansel Elgort’s Baby and Lily James’ Debora in particular, although at times it felt like it was trying a little too hard to be a Tarantino film, particularly with bits of the dialogue. Edgar Wright delivered a tightly crafted, exquisitely choreographed thrill ride of a movie, with a killer soundtrack and some of the best action sequences of the year.
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