Martin's Coffee and Movies: The American Coffee Scene in Baby Driver

I'm Marchin, a BASE COFFEE staff member who believed in the Force when I was little. This is the second installment of our column focusing on coffee in movies! Last time it was a Japanese film, but this time we'll be focusing on coffee that appears in a Western film, and a relatively recent release at that: "Baby Driver." It's a movie with impressive car action and BGM, but how does coffee appear in this film...? So, the second installment of "Marchin's Coffee and Movies" series is about "Baby Driver," released in 2017! By the way, here's the column about the first installment, "Kamome Diner": The Secret to Kamome Diner's Delicious Brew

Synopsis of 'Baby Driver'

Edgar Wright's "Baby Driver" is an action film released in 2017. The synopsis of "Baby Driver" is... Baby, played by Ansel Elgort, is a young driver with天才的な drive skills, who works as a getaway driver for a criminal organization. Due to tinnitus from a childhood accident, he constantly listens to music to drown out the ringing in his ears. One day, he meets Deborah, a waitress at a diner, and falls in love, deciding to leave his criminal life behind. However, he is blackmailed by Doc, the boss of the organization, who values his talent, and is forced to assist in a reckless robbery, threatening his life... ...and so on. In this movie, where intense car action and music blend together, American coffee culture, such as Seattle-style cafes and American diners, appears.

Coffee in 'Baby Driver'

Coffee appears in 'Baby Driver' in scenes where the gang takes a break after a heist, and in the diner where the heroine, Debora, works. In these scenes, we can observe the popular coffee culture of America, one of the world's leading coffee-consuming countries. After the opening, which begins with an intense car chase, the protagonist, Baby, goes to buy coffee for the crew while grooving to music. He goes to a Seattle-style coffee shop, and inside, while he's ordering, you can see scenes common in Japan as well, such as people working on laptops and chatting. Also, in the diner scene where Debora works, waitresses carry servers full of coffee, refilling cups for those who want more. With the rise of the Third Wave, it seems that even in America, more and more shops are now carefully brewing and serving coffee one cup at a time. However, there are still quite a few traditional establishments like these, where you can see Americans enjoying coffee. Coffee also served as an element to express the atmosphere in the film. A cup of coffee placed on the table after a job created a relaxed atmosphere, a single remaining coffee cup made the audience realize that a member who made a mistake had been punished, and Deborah's fear was expressed by coffee overflowing as her hands trembled while pouring... I feel that coffee was an element that created tension and relaxation in various places.

American Coffee Scenes from 'Baby Driver'

The film features two types of establishments: Seattle-style coffee shops and American diners. What exactly are they? How did they become widespread? Let me briefly explain these two types of establishments!

What is Seattle-style coffee?

The shop where Baby goes to buy coffee is a Seattle-style coffee shop where you can enjoy coffee and espresso drinks. Originally, Seattle-style coffee refers to coffee that developed mainly in Seattle, Washington State, on the West Coast of the United States. It refers to a general term for espresso-based drinks that use dark-roasted coffee so that the flavor isn't overwhelmed by syrups and other ingredients. The beginning of the trend called "Second Wave," which preceded the current trend called "Third Wave" that focuses on coffee origins and quality, started with the appearance of Seattle-style coffee shops... The history of Seattle-style coffee is still relatively short, with its major expansion occurring after 1970. Many people were captivated by its different taste and way of enjoying coffee compared to what was available before, as well as its convenience for easy takeout. Today, Seattle-style coffee shops can be seen everywhere. This is not limited to the United States; Seattle-style coffee shops are scattered all over the world, and many people enjoy coffee every day.

What is an American diner?

An American diner is a restaurant that serves hamburgers, egg dishes, and pancakes, distinct from regular restaurants, cafes, or fast-food establishments. While Seattle-style coffee is relatively new, diners have a history of about 100 years, originating in the northeastern United States, such as New Jersey. More akin to a食堂 (dining hall) than a cafe, diners rapidly increased after the war as places where one could enjoy American food at reasonable prices, becoming a quintessential scene of American food culture. A classic feature of diners is the all-you-can-drink coffee, with waitresses refilling your cup from a coffee server. Diners were places where the simple act of "just casually drinking coffee" was widespread, and they represent a traditional scene of coffee consumption in America. While Seattle-style coffee and diners differ in their historical depth, both are coffee cultures that originated in America and have spread throughout the world. Precisely because the film is set in America, these scenes are portrayed as everyday occurrences as the story unfolds. While "Baby Driver" is captivating for its car action and music, try paying a little attention when coffee appears; you might catch a glimpse of a coffee culture with a slightly different atmosphere from Japan!