When a movie receives a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, along with a strong positive word of mouth, one does tend to get a little curious as to what the hype is all about. Such is the case with the newly released Baby Driver.So, in short, is the hype justified?

So, in short, is the hype justified? My answer has to be a resounding yes!Baby Driver may evoke memories of a another movie with what may seem like a similar theme,

Baby Driver may evoke memories of a another movie with what may seem like a similar theme, Drive, starring Ryan Gosling. But that is how far the similarity goes for Bbay Driver is a wholly original movie that can stand on it’s own two feet.

Baby (Ansel Elgort) is a 20-something who is an awesome get away driver. He works for Doc (Kevin Spacey) who is the mastermind behind the heist plans. Baby works for him to pay off a debt and once that’s clear, he’s off the hook. Baby suffers from tinnitus and thereby listens to music to block out the ringing sound, and it is precisely this very music playing on his iPod that helps him coordinate his get away manouvers. With his brain working in overtime, he precisely calculates and plans out the timing of when to drop and collect the robbers, and then driving like a pro evading the police ever so cleverly.

However, it is during his last every heist that things go slightly wrong, when a civilian interferes and attempts to stop the robbery. Baby’s memories of his parents’ death is triggered when he sees one of the security guards being killed during the botched up mission. His conscience rises to the surface and he wants out of driving.

In the meantime, he strikes up a friendship with Debora, a waitress at the local diner, with whom he is enamoured enough to get in the car and drive far away, with good music. Baby is also looking after his deaf foster father, who wants Baby to quit his dangerous job and make a clean living.

However, things don’t go smoothly for Baby, as Doc gets him out of retirement for one last job. Between Baby and the gang (John Hamm, Jamie Foxx), things go a little out of control, forcing everyone on to each other with some rather disastrous consequences. Do they make a clean get away? Do they get the money? Are they caught? And do Baby and Deborah finally drive off with good music?

Baby Driver is one of those movies that will have a strong cult following and I can see why. It’s an original movie, with a plot that’s fun, pacy, thrilling and engrossing. Right from the explosive start with an intense car chase (it made me want to hire Baby as my own driver to drive me from home to work!) to the wonderful characters (we care about them) to the ever delightful Kevin Spacey (he’s gained weight!)

Having said that, the real star of the movie is the soundtrack! The songs infuse very well with the movie, and we get to experience the music just as Baby experiences it. It has the same effect as the music did in Guardians of the Galaxy. However, this warrants a question whether the music can alone take the movie further or not.

Baby Driver rightfully deserves the high rating and reviews. A movie like this in the hands of the talented director Edgar Wright, proves that sometimes even a simple movie of a talented young get away driver who wants to break free, without any of that over the top Hollywood effect, can make for a great evening out at the cinema.

4 out of 5