Baby Driver

I finally had the chance to watch Baby Driver this past weekend. It's a new heist movie that came out this summer, and I will say, it was one of the most adrenaline filled action packed movies I've seen in quite a while! So many of the details of the movie were precise and well executed. The music added another level of depth to the movie that I was not expecting but really appreciated.

Shortly after watching the movie, I knew I wanted to write about it in this blog, so I began on some general research to learn more about the movie itself. I was reading some reviews of the movie when I came across a Christian one and hesitantly clicked on it out of curiosity. The gist of the review was that Baby Driver was an action-packed adventure, but, that it was extremely offensive to Christians due to language and violent content. This view I understood, because I know not all Christians have the same views on language and violence in movies. But, the line in the review that really upset me was when they said: "Sadly, there is also nothing redeeming (morals or spiritual lessons) to gain from this film." It's thoughts like those that are reasons why I wanted to start this blog. There are definitely some good lessons that can be taken away from this movie, and I am excited that I have the opportunity to share them with you... so here we go!

One of the things that I loved most about this movie was the uniquely focused perspective that was used with the main character. The main character's name is Baby, and he is the go-to getaway driver for a crime boss known as Doc who organizes heists to steal money. Baby was in an accident when he was very young, and now suffers from tinnitus, and often uses music to drown out the constant ringing in his ears. When he was 14, he tried to steal a car from Doc, who caught him, and since then has admired and obligated him to use his skills for his heists to "pay him back".

Another thing I really enjoy about this movie is that it is not only fun but also very smart. It is far from a "mind numb" type of movie that is unfortunately common these days. The movie further engrosses you when you pay attention to the small details. For example, Baby's outfit for most of the movie includes a jacket that is both black and white. That may not seem like a big deal to everyone, but when it comes to outfits in movies, black means bad, and white means good. The director intentionally makes you unsure about him and where his morals lie from the beginning, which was a brilliant idea.

Baby's character and personality are immediately likable, and he is at center stage for much of the movie. Many Christian's would quickly overlook this movie because it is a "heist" film, and therefore "glorifies crime". Without spoiling anything for those who have not seen it yet, the movie does not glorify the crime themes of the story. It is a movie about Baby, and his life and decisions in the story.

One thing that is made clear about Baby from the first heist we see him in (don't worry, no spoilers) is that he will not kill people, and will even do his best to make sure no one is hurt. This is not the kind of business that he wants to be in, but being forced into it to pay off debts to Doc, he has little to no choice. Not long into the movie, Baby is challenged on his values by another character. I found it interesting because Baby is not a Christian, but he still has some good values. This made me curious to see how he would respond to these. This exchange reminded me of something in the bible that Jesus said. In Matthew 10:22 He says: "Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved." Jesus says this because he knows that we as Christians desire to act like him, and so we will be hated by the world just like He was. When Baby is confronted on his value of not hurting and killing people, he does not try to "justify" it or give an excuse. He is frank and clear that it is what he believes is right and nothing will change that.

I wonder if we as Christians will stand as firm in our beliefs as Baby did when confronted by someone with a completely different (almost nonexistent) moral compass. When people question why we are a certain way, do we give some silly excuse as to why, or are we willing to speak the truth that it is because of Jesus that we are the way we are? Hebrews 13:6 says: "So that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me." God doesn't want us to worry about and fear what the world can do to us. We are specifically told to be bold in our faith and not fear. "Bold" is defined as "showing an ability to take risks; confident and courageous." Because of the reassurance we have in Jesus Christ, we can be bold Christians, taking risks confidently and courageously for the kingdom of God.

Even to the end of the movie, Baby protects the innocent and those he cares for, knowing their value. I challenge you today to be bold and step out in your faith for the sake of others, knowing that you are doing so to reflect God and who He is.

God bless! 😁
HisDisciple319