The Rewatch Party 246 - Baby Driver (2017)

It’s Manny’s birthday, and he has officially hijacked the host mic. Nick attempts a suspiciously “laid-back” vibe that convinces no one, Elise gets drafted as the ringmaster by default, and Anthony provides steady resistance in the form of skepticism, legal concerns, and the occasional reminder that he is, in fact, a law-abiding citizen. The energy is celebratory, but the guardrails are gone. This week we break down why Edgar Wright’s 2017 action-musical Baby Driver still presses every one of Manny’s birthday-boy buttons. If you do not personally own a Subaru by the end of the opening chase, we have questions about your judgment. Also, your failure to synchronize your windshield wipers to your Spotify playlist has us questioning your commitment. Real cars, real stunts, real driving, and a director who appears to believe that timing matters more than explosions combine to flip a very specific switch in Manny’s brain. We also grapple with the slightly uncomfortable experience of hearing Kevin Spacey look into the camera and say, “That’s my baby,” unlock the lingering mystery of “The Yelling,” and ask whether a movie should be allowed this much access to your brain’s question-asking off switch. If confidence were fuel, this film, and this episode, would never need to stop for gas. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3890160/