Baby Driver 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		3.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Baby Driver 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman October 6, 2017

Baby Driver wouldn't appear to offer much of interest if one were to just glance at a quick plot outline: a young skilled driver, under the thumb of a dangerous criminal, is forced into duty as a getaway driver. He falls in love, wants out of the game, but he's forced back in, putting himself and everything and everyone he's ever cared for in danger. Indeed, Writer/Director Edgar Wright's (Hot Fuzz) film has all the makings of a drive-by sort of movie, a film that might throw a few good car chases and violent shootouts on the screen but ultimately crack under the weight of its own unoriginality. But Wright does something amazing: he gives the movie, and its lead character, a unique pulse and take on life. The lead is a character whose life is defined by music, who lives by soundtracks of his own mixing and even his own making. The story is told through both the visual and aural mediums, each complimenting and reinforcing the other, all the while shaping the character from the inside out, as if the music enters his ears, gets into his blood stream, and rewrites his DNA with each new beat. Music as a critical storytelling mechanic isn't unique to Baby Driver. Cameron Crowe is an expert, the Guardians of the Galaxy films have made the soundtrack the lifeblood of the movies. Baby Driver finds just the right beat, never feels self-aware, never crams the music in only because Wright seemed to like a song or had to stretch to make a scene work. Rarely does sight and sound compliment one another so well, so organically, with the character driven by his ears but ultimately guided by his heart.

Baby, yes, Baby, as in B-a-b-y (Ansel Elgort), is the best driver in Atlanta, and one would be hard-pressed to find one better than him anywhere. He's barely old enough to be considered an adult, he lives his life between his earbuds and functions fully only when fueled by his music. He drives with the grace of Mozart and the edge of Hendrix. But circumstances have led him to work with Doc (Kevin Spacey), a criminal and de facto father figure who has Baby under his thumb, forcing him to drive getaway for the various heists he plans and the criminals he employs. Baby is working to pay off a debt owed to Doc, and he's just about done. He's eager to start a new life for himself with the small sums Doc gives him out of his cut. He cares for an elderly deaf man named Joseph (CJ Jones) and falls for a young waitress named Debora (Lily James) who shares his passion for music and yearns to escape her mundane life. But just as Baby believes he's paid his debt to Doc and is free to go about his life, Doc forces him back into the game to pull off a heist at a post office. The strongmen on his crew -- Bats (Jamie Foxx), Buddy (Jon Hamm), and Darling (Eiza González) -- react strongly to Baby, even as he proves his intelligence and ability to not only drive but recite and execute every detail of the plan, flawlessly. But their mistrust remains, and as the group grows increasingly violent, Baby hatches a plan to run away with Debora before he can be dragged any deeper into lawlessness and life-threatening danger.

Baby Driver is contagious and fun, even considering the darkness that surrounds its characters and story. Violence, crime, heavily flawed characters, past tragedies, dangerous present circumstances, and bleak futures are all keystone plot points in the film, but Wright finds a tonal balance in his hero, a music lover whose life soundtrack not only defines a scene but sets a mood and counterbalances the darkness with toe-tapping fun. But the film does ensure its characters face their demons and foes and are placed in unenviable situations as their lives and realities and barriers and boundaries and hopes and dreams come crashing down, literally and figuratively both for Baby. All of them are much more than the sum of their exteriors, some more fully fleshed out than others, but the film, for all of its bleak plot points, takes care to give them all a voice, whether it's through music, their actions, or their relationships with one another. Few films enjoy such a fine-tuned balance of deeply personal characters, chaotic action, grim realities, and the hope that takes shape in love and understanding.

Ansel Elgort nails the title character, grasping with certainty and depth the role the music plays in his life, both as it propels him forward and as it's shaped the path behind him. The backstory is simple but layered by complexity that has come since, both in his personal and "professional" life as a getaway driver. He looks and feels natural behind the wheel; the audience never questions his talents, why he drives or how, his motivations, his unique ability to focus and see the road and command the vehicle with a grace of a seasoned professional. He's supported by a strong cast that melts into the background behind him, who certainly play key roles but never overwhelm the star, only enhance and move his story forward. The film is also the beneficiary of quality action, including expertly choreographed shootouts and some of the best car stunt work the screen has seen in some time. The film builds Baby as a natural behind the wheel, and Wright and company ensure that the moves fit his skill set without turning either him into superman or his cars into video game props. It's all grounded in a tangible reality that heightens character awareness and further hones Baby from beginning to end.

Baby Driver 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Baby Driver was reportedly finished at 2K, but even so this marks a solid upgrade over a decent-not-great 1080p Blu-ray picture. Sony's 2160p/HDR-enhanced release delivers a more intricate and stable picture, one that reveals much more detail, that offers a sharper image overall. Details that were (sometimes more than) a little lacking on Blu-ray -- facial features in particular -- are much more stout here, capable of revealing finer intricacies with greater complexity and more easily identifiable nuance. That improved level of detail filters on down through every other element, whether clothes, firearms, car interiors, locations...everything enjoys a boost in clarity that the image badly needed coming over from the Blu-ray. The HDR color palette offers a modest gain in depth, saturation, and nuance. Where the Blu-ray offered more obviously punchy shades, the UHD delivers greater accuracy across the board, most obvious on big splashes of color such as, again, cars, but also clear on clothes, skin tones, and environments such as the diner and its neon signage in particular. Black levels hold much more stable, deep, and accurate here, though are still prone to heavy bouts of noise. Neither image is perfect, but the UHD presents a much more enjoyable picture overall.

Baby Driver 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Baby Driver's Dolby Atmos soundtrack is perhaps more a revelation than the UHD's video quality. This is a substantial improvement over the 5.1 track on the Blu-ray, and for a movie in which sound and music play such critical roles, it's unsurprising but also reinforces the notion that Blu-ray buyers are getting shortchanged. The track is fantastic. It takes full advantage of the increased real estate, presenting an expansive, highly detailed, fluid, and engaging listen from start to finish. Musical definition is wonderful, immersion is constant and smooth, and every note, each lyric, everything is presented with film-complimenting and ear-satisfying precision. Right from a tone that starts the movie, which enjoys a full-stage and top-end dispersal, the track never fails to engage every inch with sonic goodness. Screaming police sirens spill from every speaker with an overhead diffusion a part of the equation. Shootouts offer substantial power, diversity of sound placement, and total stage saturation, whether out in open spaces or throughout a parking garage where a key sequence takes place. Support elements take full advantage of the top layer to pull listeners into a stormy and rainy location. A helicopter hovers overhead later in the film, police radio chatter seems to come from all around, and there are plenty of other examples of very fine or very pronounced full-stage and top-end engagement. The track never disappoints, never relents. Precisely positioned and prioritized dialogue round one of the most enjoyable Atmos tracks to date into reference-quality form.

Baby Driver 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This UHD release of Baby Driver contains all of its core supplemental content on the bundled Blu-ray disc. The UHD features the usual Sony "extras:" a cast and crew still photo tab and a collection of "Moments" (2160p/HDR/Atmos): Baby, The Playlist, Debora, and Doc's Gang. A UV digital copy code is included with purchase. .

• Audio Commentary: Writer/Director Edgar Wright opens with some humorous anecdotes on the difference between American and British English and moves on to discuss project origins, music and its role in the film, research and outside help, inspirations, verbal communication, story structure, locations, film construction, and more.
• Audio Commentary: Writer/Director Edgar Wright and Cinematographer Bill Pope begin with an interesting discussion of watching a movie wafter working on it for a prolonged period of time and follow to speak on shooting specifics, locations, production design, actors, photographic details, and plenty more. The track is a little more technical than the previous, but it does cover similar ground. Wright mentions "the other commentary track" a number of times, so discussions do circle back to things listeners have already heard. Still, both are well-rounded and informative.
• Extended & Deleted Scenes (1080p, 20:28 total runtime): First Heist, Kitchen Dance, Questions, Laundromat, Pizza!, Bacchanalia, Gas Station, Cops & Robbers, Foot Chase, Killer Track, and Behind Bars.
• Behind the Scenes (1080p): A six-part feature.
  
  
  • That's My Baby: Edgar Wright (9:18): A look at project origins and development, Wright's qualities as a filmmaker, animatics, combining music and visuals, and more.
  • Mozart In a Go-Kart: Ansel Drives (5:52): The young actor learns to perform many of his own driving stunts in the movie.
  • I Need a Killer Track: The Music (6:14): Exploring the role of music in the film and how it shapes the main character.
  • Meet Your New Crew: Doc's Gang (10:55): A closer look at several of the film's supporting cast and the characters they play.
  • Find Something Funky on There: The Choreography (6:08): More exploration of how music shapes the movie and how action is specifically executed to match the music.
  • Devil Behind the Wheel: The Car Chases (6:46): A detailed look at making several of the key car chase scenes.
• Selected Scene Animatics (1080p, 35:42 total runtime): Animated pre-visualizations for several scenes. Included are First Heist Original, First Heist Pre-Shoot, Killer Track Original, Killer Track Pre-Shoot, Masked Raiders, Farmer's Market Live Action, Farmer's Market Animated, and Foot Chase.
• Rehearsals & Pre-Production (1080p, 17:03): A collection of auditions, rehearsal footage clips, and screen tests. Included are Ansel Elgort Audition, Annotated Coffee Run Rehearsal, and Hair, Make Up & Costumes Test.
• Music Video (1080p, 4:15): "Blue Song" by Mint Royale.
• Complete Storyboard Gallery (1080p): A monumental collection of storyboard images divided into four parts.
• Promos and More (1080p, 21:10 total runtime): Trailers and TV spots. Includes Theatrical Trailer, International Trailer, Tekillya Trailer, Chase Me -- Danger Mouse Featuring Run the Jewels & Big Boi, Mike Relm 'Baby Driver' Remix, Mozart in a Go-Kart, Chase Me, Beyond, Skill, Head West, Finest Thugs, Beat, OK Go, Innocent Male, Three Things, Finally, Stories, and Stories Extended.
• Previews: Additional Sony titles.

Baby Driver 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Baby Driver strikes just the right chord. The film overcomes core story cliché not only by way of its finely tuned and lifeblood soundtrack but also its choreography, character depth, and performances. This is one of the top films of 2017. Sony's UHD is the best home presentation by a long shot. Its 4K/HDR image is much more stable and more enjoyable than the wishy-washy Blu-ray counterpart. The Atmos track easily bests a good 5.1 listen. Plenty of extras are included. Very highly recommended, and this UHD will most likely land somewhere on the year-end top-10 list.