FILM REVIEW: Last Night in Soho (2021)

Preface: Initial Reaction to the Film

The horror and thriller genre, particularly the supernatural kind, has never really been my cup of tea. It’s not that I scare easily, or anything like that, but I feel that the genre (at least in the modern age) tends to rely on extremes that it doesn’t have to in order to tell a story or make a viewer experience “suspense.” That being said, when I saw the trailer for Last Night in Soho I was intrigued. The concept of a thriller from the director of “The Cornetto Trilogy” about an aspiring artist, played by Thomasin McKenzie of JoJo Rabbit (2019) fame, traveling through time in her dreams to solve a murder apparently committed by a character played by Doctor Who’s Matt Smith excited me and I wanted to make sure I saw it as soon as it came out. Armed with my Regal Unlimited Pass (worth every penny by the way), I booked a matinee last Saturday, and off I went. Two and a half hours later, I walked out of the theater almost speechless. As I walked through the streets near Fenway, the rain gradually growing all the more torrential, I managed to gasp out a few thoughts into a voice memo for this review. In short, yes, the film had that tremendous of an effect on me; and yes, I would recommend viewing it.

Review

Edgar Wright’s Last Night in Soho is a gripping thriller with exceptional visuals, strong performances from the leads, and a story that’s constantly moving. The film follows Thomasin McKenzie’s Eloise, an aspiring young designer from rural England, who moves to London for school, but when she sleeps at night in her off campus apartment, she’s magically transported to the 1960s where she witnesses the life of a young aspiring singer named Sadie, played by Anya Taylor-Joy. But when Eloise’s dreams become all the more lifelike, she discovers that the veneer of her favorite decade is not all that it’s cracked up to be, as her nighttime fantasies begin to seep their way into lifelike visions that haunt her waking hours. The film’s R rating is not given without justification for the strong language, depictions of violence, and sexual content found within; but unlike other films within this genre, these aspects of the movie are not merely played for shock value or cheap thrills— they actively contribute to the film’s plot. The coarse language used by the young college students establishes the culture at this prestigious London fashion school, while the sexual content plays directly into some of the film’s themes exploring the loss of innocence, coming of age, and compromising morals. That being said, with regards to the violence, some of this content may be very intense for viewers who are sensitive to blood and suggestions of sexual abuse. In brief, Last Night in Soho is a heavy hitting but entertaining suspense film that I would recommend viewing, regardless of if you are a fan of the genre.

Speaking more specifically to the aspects of this film that work really well, the film itself is visually stunning. In the waking world, the blocking of the actors appropriately isolates Eloise in her loneliest moments, and conversely engulfs and consumes her at the times where she’s the most surrounded by the visions that haunt her. While in the world of the dream, the visual effects that turn Eloise into Sadie’s reflection are astounding, subtle, and spectral in a way that calls back to the classic theatrical trick of Pepper’s Ghost. Of course, I would also be remiss if I didn’t speak to the film’s production design. Naturally being a film about an aspiring fashion designer, the costumes in this film for both the modern era and 1960s London work exceptionally well and fit perfectly into the story world. Not to mention the makeup, one scene in the second act in particular with Eloise attending a Halloween party stands out in particular, also plays a prominent role in making this film a buffet for the eyes. All of this combined with the set design, lighting, and Chung-hoon Chung’s cinematography, Last Night in Soho on visuals alone is a film you just simply can’t look away from.

With regards to the performances in this film, the leading ladies of McKenzie and Taylor-Joy really make this film shine. McKenzie’s portrayal of Eloise makes the character incredibly sympathetic, and her acting is in no way overstated. In my opinion, in films like these sometimes actors tend to use the same body language and facial expression to attempt to convey a wide array of emotions. McKenzie does no such thing. Her performance is subtle and each expression and piece of body language is deliberate and well acted. Her portrayal is believable, and by the end of the film I felt choked up watching her character’s arc. Meanwhile, Taylor-Joy’s performance matches McKenzie’s energy completely while also providing a portrayal of a slightly more mature character. In a similar fashion, the completion of her character’s arc and how it parallels with McKenzie’s also nearly a brought tear to my eye. As for antagonist in the dream world played by Matt Smith, there was a certain predisposition regarding character that I had to get over in my own head to completely buy Smith’s performance as Jack. Having been introduced to Smith in Doctor Who, despite knowing that he has a wide range and can deliver great intensity, passion, and anger, I had to overcome the internal barrier and memory of Smith playing what I would call “golden retriever characters.” That being said, his portrayal of Jack was imposing, and as the film went on, I felt the tension of the characters played by the leading ladies— I felt like I was able to empathize with their fear.

While doing my best to avoid spoilers, the film’s story is quite compelling and the plot is pretty solid. Despite the fact that it feels like it takes a little while to get to the first act break, the movie’s overall pacing and performances make you lose track of time. My heart dropped and I gasped at the film’s second act break (in screenwriting, the second act break is usually the point where the protagonist is at their lowest point and looks like they’re going to ultimately fail). I was surprised at how things turned around in the film’s final act, and as much as a person can be on the edge of their seat in a recliner at a Regal Cinema, that was where I found myself at that point in the film. By the time of the film’s conclusion, I felt like things resolved themselves quite well. Nothing really left me with any questions or thoughts about the possibility of a sequel. McKenzie’s Eloise had a fairly well developed arc, and I felt satisfied by the film’s ending. As I stated before, the film overall left me speechless. There were some clear themes that Last Night in Soho explores in its overall story, and I think a full discussion of those themes is content for a separate film analysis blog post of its own, but generally speaking, I believe that Wright’s bigger picture is to have audiences walking out of the movie thinking about finding redemption and breaking tragic cycles.

Now while I have many good things to say about this film, it does have its flaws. Doing my best to avoid spoiling the film, I will agree with some who have criticized the film’s screenplay. There are some lines of dialogue, that made me ponder why a character had uttered those lines and what they really contributed to the film. One example in particular is a line spoken by Eloise’s friend John, played by newcomer Michael Ajao, in which he tries to console Eloise by saying “my auntie believes in all sorts of weird sh*t…” as he tries to help her figure out what had happened to Sandie back in the 1960s. It’s a weirdly written and placed line that doesn’t really tell us about him as a character or why he would be compelled to believe Eloise and help her. Aside from the dialogue, there were some elements of the plot and the larger reveal at the end of the film, that walking out of the theater did raise some questions for me that pointed to possible plot holes. That being said, depending on what lens you wish to view the film through, I feel like some of these plot holes are abated.

Turning to the characters however, I felt like Ajao’s John could have been more developed as a character. I would have liked to have seen him have more motivations and a little more depth than simply playing the part of the supportive possibly developing love interest for the protagonist. On a somewhat similar note, Jack’s transformation as a character felt very sudden as well. When we’re first introduced to him, he’s a perfect gentleman who defends the honor of women and respects them, but not twenty minutes later this is turned quickly on its head. That’s not to say that this can’t happen with a character like that in a film, but I feel like that the reveal of Jack’s true nature could have been executed a little better. Having noted these grievances with the screenplay, as a final note I will have to disagree with the critics who are harping on the writing and dialogue in a more general sense. There are some lines uttered in the film’s final act that align perfectly with what we’ve been seeing visually and thematically within the film’s story, without being “on the nose” or awkward. On a less serious side note, I wonder if some criticize this film through an American lens, having trouble understanding the cultural humor and expressions used in London and the UK. Having lived overseas and among English people and having engaged in their culture, I know there were some elements of the writing in this film that might have gone over the heads of American viewers who are unfamiliar with life among modern British people.

Considering the film overall, I liked it and would recommend viewing it. I think it’s another great chapter in the Edgar Wright filmography, and is a generally entertaining movie. In some ways I would say it’s thought provoking, but that’s a spoiler-filled analysis for when I’ve seen the film a second time. I would highly recommend viewing it and seeing it with a friend with whom you can discuss the film with afterwards.