Page 8 June 29, 2017 EL SEGUNDO HERALD Entertainment Film Review Baby Driver is a Total Joy Ride Fueled by a Killer Soundtrack By Ryan Rojas for www.cinemacy.com If you’re looking for some excitement at the movies this summer, look no further than Baby Driver. Written and directed by fanboys everywhere’s favorite Edgar Wright, Baby Driver is a stylish explosion of genre-blending action thriller, romantic heist movie and crime film all in one. Baby Driver centers around a kid named Baby (Ansel Elgort), a Wayfarers-wearing youth who keeps a mostly wordless demeanor (think Steve McQueen or Ryan Gosling’s strong and silent type high school selves) and who, after getting mixed up in a world of crime, is forced to pay off a debt to crime boss Doc (Kevin Spacey) by wheeling around more hardened criminals post-heists. Winding and wheeling his way around Atlanta’s city streets, Baby evades the cops with devilish gear shifts and burnouts that will leave audiences totally floored (the movie uses no CGI for the car stunt work). Every hairpin turn of every getaway drive is accompanied by some carefully curated song queued up on his iPod. Baby Driver fuses getaway driving Jamie Foxx and Ansel Elgort in Baby Driver. Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment. and rock radio so expertly that if the movie is considered the engine, the music would be the fuel that keeps it ripping and roaring. After a traumatic car collision leaves a childhood Baby parentless and with an always-present ringing in his in ears, he drowns out his Tinnitus by listening to music, and at all hours of the day. Whether compulsively cranking classic rock cuts during his high-speed sprints or just serving up some old soul tunes getting coffee for his criminal cohorts, music is as much Baby’s secret weapon as it is his distraction. Beginning with the film’s opening getaway sequence, grooving along to the soundtrack is like rocking out at a concert. This neo-musical experience continues through to the very end, where, after meeting the sweet, kind-eyed diner waitress Debra (Lily James), Baby decides to try and go straight and get out of the crime game--that is, if he can escape the ruthless Doc and the job’s skizo thugs, Buddy (Jon Hamm) and Bats (Jamie Foxx). With Baby Driver, Wright continues to prove he is truly one of today’s most visionary directors. Fans of Wright’s previous films (Sean of the Dead, Scott Pilgrim vs the World) will know that he has perfected a visual identity and humor all his own--but here, Wright brings those elements together to an even bigger mainstream stage. Baby Driver is slick, slick, slick, and effortlessly cool, where car lane changes and drifting spins, camera zooms and quick editing cuts are all oiled up in perfect unison (notice Ryan Heffington, the choreographer of Sia’s “Chandelier” music video, is credited as the film’s choreographer in the opening title credits). The opening scene, one long uninterrupted take set to “Harlem Shuffle,” is an amazingly executed number that sets up the internal rhythms for the rest of the movie (look for the song’s lyrics graffiti’d on the sides of the city’s backgrounds). Taking the driver’s seat is the baby-faced Ansel Elgort (The Fault in Our Stars) in a role that requires the young actor to play both the strong and silent type while keeping his youthful aloofness intact. Wright’s remaining ensemble is just as well cast. It’s always a treat to see Kevin Spacey play bad, as well as Jamie Foxx as a menacing character. Lily James delights as a Southern Belle, but the scene-stealing performances go to Jon Hamm, who sheds his Don Draper image for a villain with depth; as well as the likely unknown CJ Jones--a real-life deaf stand-up entertainer who plays Baby’s guardian, lending a great performance and character to this whiz-bang movie. If you’re looking for an adrenaline rush this summer, do yourself a favor and see Baby Driver in theaters. It’s not only one of the best films of the summer, but of the year to date. Baby Driver’ is rated R for language throughout and violence. 113 minutes. Now playing in theaters. • Herald Publications will be Closed on Tuesday, July 4. Enjoy the day with your family and friends. Wowser Schnauzers probably do best with another doggie pal to help me learn everything a puppy should know. I promise to work hard and learn quickly and I’ll be the best thing that ever happened to you.” If you’re interested in Tori, please email info@msfr.org for more information. “My name is Carter and I must tell you that in addition to being a stunning little guy I’m also 16 pounds of love and affection. I’m not quite sure how it happened, but I ended up living on the streets before I was finally picked up, labeled a stray and promptly deposited at an LA county shelter. If the folks that passed up the opportunity to adopt me could only see me now, they would be shocked. No one could even tell that I was a 1.5-year old male Miniature Schnauzer mix. Although I look very ‘Schnauzery,’ I have shorter legs, a wirier coat and would probably be considered a low-shedder rather than a non-shedder. I’m still very puppyish--which when translated means high-energy--so I would do well with a doggie pal to show me the ropes. I’m a playful, loving, personable, good-looking guy--the whole package who would be a great addition to any family.” If you’re interested in Carter, please email info@msfr.org for more information. • We are looking for volunteers to help with our pet adoption fairs, which are held every Saturday at the Petco located at 537 N. Pacific Coast Highway in Redondo Beach, from noon-3:30 p.m. If you are interested in volunteering and can commit to at least one Saturday a month, please contact us at info@msfr.org. You can also visit all of our Miniature Schnauzers & Friends rescues at the adoption fair or check out our website, www.msfr.org. Ig you have any questions about a particular dog’s availability you can email us at info@msfr.org. Schnauzers! Bet you can’t adopt just one! “I was named Dori, but I’m not to be confused with Dora the Explorer because I’m definitely geographically challenged. I thought it would be a great idea to show my daughter Tori what the world outside of our yard was like, so we went exploring and we became lost. That’s how we ended up at an LA county shelter brought in as strays. Despite the fact that I’m only a four-yearold, female, purebred Miniature Schnauzer, no one was interested in a pair of street urchins. We were both filthy and in desperate need of a bath and a good grooming when the MSFR volunteers found and rescued us. Now everyone can see how stunning I am with my natural ears, docked tail and svelte 16-pound body. I even had a dental performed with no extractions required, so my teeth sparkle. Everyone says that I’m very sweet-natured and that I would do exceptionally well with another doggie pal to keep me company.” If you’re interested in Dori, please email info@msfr.org for more information. “Hi there! They call me Tori and I’m an adorable little three-month old, female Miniature Schnauzer mix. My mother Dori and I ended up at an LA country shelter after getting lost while on an exploration adventure. While I’m embarrassed to admit we have no idea who my father is, I am very proud of the fact that I have inherited my mother’s good looks. Currently, I’m a 12-pound ball of fluff with a most interesting coat that is silver with black tips and very elegant. Of course since it is my ‘puppy coat,’ the color might change, however, I haven’t shed at all. It appears that whatever my coat will look like, I’ll be a non-shedder. Everyone is speculating that when I’m fully grown I could be a medium-sized dog, weighing 25-30 pounds--but since I’ve a questionable pedigree, it’s only a guess. What I do know for certain is that I’m cute as a button and it’s a good thing because being a puppy means I need all kinds of training and someone who has the time to devote to working with me. I’ll need to know everything about obedience, housebreaking, walking on a leash, manners and the whole nine yards. Right now I’m pretty dependent on my mom, so I would Tori Dori Saving one animal won’t change the world, but the world will surely change for that animal. Carter
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