Ambitious. Stylish. Thrilling. ‘Last Night in Soho’ is a creative work from director Edgar Wright. It jumps genres from psychological thriller to sheer horror. Along the way, we get to experience the pulsating neon lights and music of 1960s London. Wright lures us into a nostalgic playground of hip fashion, cool music and beautiful young women. Once he has us, we get a glimpse at the dark underbelly of the city’s nightlife. The London of the 1960s is elegant and seductive. Wright shows us that nostalgia is not all it’s cracked up to be. ‘Last Night in Soho’ turns out to be an impressive love letter to 1960s London as well as a cautionary tale.
Eloise (Thomasin McKenzie) is an aspiring fashion designer. She lives with her grandmother in Cornwall. Her mother is dead but she occasionally sees visions of her in mirrors. She gets accepted to a prominent fashion school in London. She is ready to leave home and embark on her new adventure in the big city. Eloise romanticizes about the London of the ‘60s. When she has problems with her roommate, she moves out of the dormitory to a top-floor flat. This is where strange things to begin to happen. She begins to see visions of an aspiring singer, Sandie (Anya Taylor-Joy). At first, she sees inspiration in Sandie’s style in her fashion designs. Eventually the lines become blurred between the two young women.
At night, Eloise falls asleep and is transported back in time to 1960s Soho. Some of the best scenes are in this dream state. Eloise is wearing pajamas and is invisible until we see Sandie’s mirror reflection. The two women are both dancing with a young man, Jack (Matt Smith). At first, he offers to help Sandie with her dream of becoming a singer. As Eloise keeps time traveling back to this world in her dreams, she discovers a darker side to the city. Wright creates a world where men will flirt and offer the world to them but at a price. It is fascinating watching the two women interact with each other.
You have Sandie who is savvy and confident playing off Eloise who is soft-spoken and shy. McKenzie’s performance is stellar. She slowly emulates certain aspects of Sandie that inspires her creativity. This is not an easy character to play. We never know if she has mental illness or having a nervous break down. Any big city including London can be a very unforgiving place. What can I say about Taylor-Joy? She’s mesmerizing as Sandie. She’s glamorous and alluring. When she walks into the nightclub dressed in a salmon-pink chiffon dress, you can’t take your eyes off of her.
The third act is dark and I mean dark. I liked the twist and turns of the plot. The way that Wright maneuvers between time periods is amazing. The only problem I see is how he feels compelled to explain everything in the third act. Eloise seems to lose herself in Sandie. It felt like he was trying to tie up too many loose strings at the end. I won’t give away any spoilers but it bursts into a full-blown horror fest. It’s okay. It is still an impressive thriller. It is worth checking out just to experience our two heroines in Swinging London. ‘Last Night in Soho’ is a dazzling love-letter to the 1960s.
