Spectacular. What a film should be. So our own Edgar Wright wrote and directed this original film about Baby, a young getaway driver trying to get out of the game with one last heist. Well written, well directed, well done Ed.
The cast was spectacular, and I'll openly admit that I'm bias for half of them. Ansel Elgort is perfect for Baby. I really enjoyed how much of the character is left for the film and isn't included in the trailer. We get to know him as a person and his life growing up gradually, as we should. He has a long time relationship with Kevin Spacey who plays Doc, the big man in charge. I think Kevin Spacey is hypnotising, he was in Se7en (1995), he was in A Bug's Life (1998) and this is no different. Jamie Foxx actually used to sit in and watch Spacey even when he didn't need to be on set, just to take in what he was doing. Very impressive man, but not to talk down Academy Awarding winning Foxx and his character Bats. Who is fun and threatening though in parts cliched, the character is still original to watch. I enjoy Jon Hamm in everything he does, check him out in 30 Rock and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, surprisingly funny. No spoilers but his character has the chance to show a range of emotion and he does. Also thoroughly enjoyed his partner, Darling, played by Ezia Gonzalez, a young actress that can definitely hold her own against the rest of the cast. There's a considerable number of characters and reasonable depth for each of them. Remember, they all have fake names, Doc, Baby, Buddy, Darling, Bats etc, the less we know about them the more we're treated like the other characters. Criminals need anonymity.
OKAY SOUND TIME. Incredible. That's established in the trailer and the few promo clips. We listen to the sound with Baby as he listens to one of his many iPods. The scenes and editing are cut to the sound. The gunshots, the car door slams, the coffee cups placed on the table, all to the beat of the song playing. It changes if he's listening to one or both ear buds. As he has tinnitus if he's not listening to music there's a low ringing in the background, we're very much in his shoes and I love it. The editing really does highlight this and I'd be honestly shocked if there was no Oscar nod for sound mixing or sound editing. The music was an insightful selection for not only the scene but for the character. The opening sequence and what follows, establishes the theme of the film and then the character. We see Baby interact with the gang, his deaf foster father, his love interest Debora, and his parents, all with music. He uses it to connect with his past and communicate the present with his foster father Joseph. He uses it build up a barrier with the gang and to break it down with Debora. There's no secrets, it's all diegetic sound, we are there, we are included.
The editing as I said is cut beautifully to the music, it crossed my mind that the editors must have had a great time putting this together. Both Paul Machliss and Jonothan Amos have been editors for many big British shows and have worked together before, as well as with Edgar Wright and it shows. There is a particular scene there the timing of the cut with the sound is reminiscent of a montage of Shaun leaving his house in Shaun of the Dead (2004). Just a small reminder of where this film has came from. The cinematographer, Bill Pope, has again has an impressive list of works including collaborations with Wright and the editors. Very stylistic but not distracting, going back to the opening sequence and the scene that follows, it was gorgeous and immerse. The entire film is almost interactive with the spectator. Great range of colour, great costumes, a few moments of day dreams which accentuate those aspects as well.
It's an incredibly well rounded film. When you get an original screenplay that's what you should hope for, things said at the beginning making sense at the end. Characters having developments that we knew or that we didn't. It was really on purpose. The script was great, each character seemed like separate characters and their interactions are great. Not as funny as some of Wrights predecessors but still comedic moments. The dialogue felt fresh and natural for the most part. It had moments wherein a film references another films and it didn't feel too unwarranted or take you out of the moment.
Couldn't think of a flaw after watching this. I read a few reviews myself to try and see a different perspective and I found one poorly written attempt at a criticism but it definitely opened my mind. There is a potential contradiction in character choices when it comes to the finale. I don't quite believe this, I believe that some character development is more subtle than others and I didn't doubt any of the decisions made by any of the characters. But let me know what you think on that front, I imagine a second viewing will do wonders either way.
Outstanding, I'm seeing it again in the cinema and I can't wait for a fancy blu ray as this film is interesting from script to screen 9/10
CINEMATES - A
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