On Oct. 29, 2022, Edgar Wright’s “Last Night in Soho” was released in theaters after being delayed for over a year due to COVID-19. With its stars Thomasin McKenzie and Anya Taylor-Joy bringing stellar performances to the table, the film was met with mostly positive reviews from critics. I was lucky enough to see it twice in theaters, and it has a compelling mystery, beautiful visuals, and stunning performances. Lazy writing — particularly with the film’s big twist — caused the film to lose its full potential. Wright took the easy way out and didn’t flesh out the story completely.
Inspired by vintage horror and psychedelic films, “Last Night in Soho” follows Eloise “Ellie” Turner, an aspiring fashion designer who is enamored with the 1960s, as she travels to London to study at the London College of Fashion. After renting a room from an elderly landlord, she begins having dreams about London in the 1960s through the eyes of Sandie, an aspiring singer who dreams of stardom. However, Ellie quickly learns that something is wrong with Sandie, and she strives to discover what happened to her after witnessing what appears to be her murder one night.
The mystery of what happened to Sandie is certainly compelling, especially when it was hyped up in the trailers. However, how the mystery was resolved was less than satisfactory. While I can see what Wright was trying to do by highlighting the horrors of people who come to the city only to have their hopes and dreams shattered, the way he executes it almost feels as he’s antagonizing Sandie for no reason. At times, it even comes off as victim-blaming, and combined with a poor set up and the unclear motives of the antagonist, it leaves the film’s climax with much to be desired in the end.
On the other hand, the visuals of the film are absolutely stunning. The vivid cinematography makes it feel as if it was shot in technicolor, and makes the viewer feel the same disorientation that both Ellie and Sandie feel throughout the film. Wright cites films like Roman Polanski’s “Repulsion” as inspiration, both storywise and visually. While I definitely see their influence, the film’s visuals remind me moreso of the Giallo genre, including films such as Dario Argento’s “Suspiria” or Mario Bava’s “The Girl Who Knew Too Much.” The soundtrack, primarily songs from the 1960s, handpicked by Wright, is also one of the film’s best assets, adding to the ambiance and effectively differentiating reality from Ellie’s dreams and hallucinations.
The performances of Thomasin McKenzie, as Ellie, and Anya Taylor-Joy, as Sandie, brought so much to the film that I don’t think it would have been the same if they had not been cast. McKenzie is truly the star of the show, having to portray Ellie from an ambitious fashion student, to a girl who tries to solve the film’s mystery while the people around her don’t believe her, all while keeping the audience engaged. The paranoia Ellie feels as she believes she’s descending further into madness is palpable, causing the audience to develop a genuine sense of fear for her once the film reaches its big climax.
Of course, Taylor-Joy’s performance can’t be ignored. She has this aura that draws the viewer to her whenever she’s on screen, and she fits into the era perfectly. Given how emotionally heavy the role of Sandie is, I’m surprised (and relieved) that Taylor-Joy did not end up emotionally scarred from it, effortlessly being able to go from alluring to dramatic in a single scene.
Other performances of note include Matt Smith’s as the suave manager Jack, the late Diana Rigg as Ellie’s landlord, Ms. Collins, and Michael Ajao as John, Ellie’s love interest (although he ends up falling victim to the classic Edgar Wright Love Interest curse, and never really gets fleshed out as a character).
If you are a fan of Edgar Wright’s work, a lover of horror, want something new and interesting to watch, or if you don’t mind a lackluster ending, then “Last Night in Soho” is the perfect film for you. While it is definitely a flawed film, it’s one of the better releases that 2021 has to offer, and arguably earns a spot next to the bigger releases of the year. If nothing else, see it for Anya Taylor-Joy as Sandie, whose performance not only adds weight to the film, but also adds to its aesthetic appeal.
