Wright uses the music of the film to tell an appropriately American tale of redemption, criminality and (of course) young love. Throughout the film, we see the aspects of American pop culture that he is most fascinated with: fast cars, gun violence and, most importantly, pop music.
Moreover, Baby Driver is Wright’s first film set in America, and that setting is not incidental or peripheral. Much in the way Shaun of the Dead is a romantic comedy masquerading as a zombie film, Baby Driver is a soundtrack film parading as a car chase heist flick. Photo by Wilson Webb, © 2016 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. In the case of this film’s protagonist (eponymously named Baby), the misery certainly preceded the music.īut it’s the music that decided to stay for the long haul. He walks around oblivious to his surroundings-fellow pedestrians crash into his oft-swinging body-and the walls and street signs surrounding him actually begin to display pieces of the lyrics.
His every movement and behavior hums along to the song he currently listens to. What started as a necessity (a bad case of tinnitus is only eased by listening to his library of music) becomes compulsive behavior. The main character in Edgar Wright’s newest film, Baby Driver, lives a life completely and fully directed by the songs he chooses on his multitude of iPods. Throughout his story, Rob muses this intriguing chicken-and-egg concept about how the soundtrack of his life is no longer being dictated by his feelings, but his feelings are actually being dictated by his favorite songs.
What came first-the music or the misery? asks Rob, the main character from Nick Hornby’s breakthrough novel, High Fidelity.
SPOILER ALERT: This article will dive into some finer points of plot and characters in Baby Driver and may spoil the plot for those who have yet to see the film.