Last Night in Soho (2021)

[Eric Lasagna]

Discuss

[CJohn]

A script we have seen a million times wrapped in a technical marvel of a movie. I thought it was great but it sure isn't for everyone. Anya Taylor-Joy shines bright at the center of it.

[FilmFincher]

I thought this was a boatload of fun. Stylish, poppy and a delight of a rollercoaster, has all the clever trappings of an Edgar Wright film. Gets a little thematically muddled towards the end. It leans more on the mystery side of things and the horror that is there bends to Wrights will as a director with a distinct brand. It's not necessarily scary. The twists and turns the film took genuinely surprised me. It's Wright firing on full cylinders again after Baby Driver felt a little watered down.

 

Thomasin Mckenzie is fantastic and absolutely carries the film, she handles the increasing hysteria fo Ellie really well. She does come of like a Wright facsimile towards the beginning but I think the film dives enough into the dangers of nostalgia and romanticising the past that it gets away with it.  Similarly, Anya Taylor Joy's side of the film comes off as somewhat hollow up to a point (you get a little worried it's a manic pixie dream girl situation) and then the film kicks into a higher gear and the character of Sandy grows more layers. Matt Smith is relishing in his sliminess and what a great send-off for Diana Rigg.

 

The portrayal of Soho is excellent, it's just a joy to recognise so many street corners, pubs, alleyways, shortcuts and neon signs. Wright did such a good job of capturing the place. The cinematography is great, so many fun in camera tricks done during extended takes. His eye for iconography also comes out, the costume choices are very strong, I was very taken by the Halloween look for Ellie. This coupled with excellent soundtrack choices make it one of the more technically accomplished films by the director. 

 

Despite the film dealing with heavy subject matter it never loses it's sense of fun, the audience was having a blast throughout and I had a great time bar a few nitpicks. 

Edited November 1, 2021 by FilmFincher

[filmlover]

This started really well but came apart towards the end for me, as all of the big reveals are a bit deflating after Edgar Wright does such a strong job building everything up. But there's no doubt that it's technically astounding and the excellent Thomasin McKenzie keeps the whole thing afloat as Ellie's reality starts to descend into horror. The nature of Anya Taylor-Joy's role/section means she's rather underserved in comparison, but that might be more a result of expectations caused by her rise to stardom over the lengthy delay the movie had to endure. They're supported well by slippery turns from Matt Smith and Terence Stamp along with Diana Rigg in her final screen appearance. It's too bad the climax falls flat because everything before that is pretty aces, but this does more than enough right that it deserves a recommendation, albeit one not as strong as it could've been. B-

[nghtvsn]

LAST NIGHT IN SOHO

 

Grade - B

 

I liked the film. It was wonderful to listen to and to watch. I liked the story and the cast. Thomasin McKenzie, Anya and Michael Ajao stood out for me. I'm not a huge fan of Mckenzie's voice when I saw her in Old. I forget she was in other films I liked but she really popped in this one. I liked her character and how her dreams blended into reality as well as the intense fear she presents in a variety of scenes. I thought Anya played her role well as she commands the screen. Ajao stood out mainly because his character was friendly, caring and likable. I also enjoyed the soundtrack. 

 

 

[Webslinger]

Edgar Wright’s latest, Last Night in Soho, is yet another big winner in the writer-director’s filmography. As a psychological thriller told from a distinctly feminine perspective, it marks a big departure from Wright’s previous studies of masculinity in various genre-based arenas, often with a very comedic slant. Though the film’s narrative ultimately goes off in directions that have proven divisive for critics and audiences alike (scant as the latter may be for the film’s theatrical run in these times), I found myself totally enraptured by the world Wright creates onscreen and the themes surrounding carefree innocence, corruption, the desire to fit into an impossibly perfect archetype, and longing for a past and seemingly better time that exists only in the imagination. As is customary in an Edgar Wright film, the large ensemble cast is in fine form across the board. Lead actress Thomasin McKenzie continues her impressive rise as the innocent, naïve Eloise, a fashion student whose obsession with 1960s London and family history of mental illness make her both the best and worst possible participant in the fantastical time travel at the heart of the narrative. McKenzie utilizes her youth to near-perfect effect in a performance that captures the terror of both Eloise’s supernatural experiences and her seemingly  more mundane adjustment to city life as a young adult in equally compelling fashion. As in her breakthrough performance in 2018’s Leave No Trace, McKenzie has no trouble commanding the screen and carrying the film. That said, the supporting cast is also loaded with stellar performances. Anya Taylor-Joy continues her ascent to the Hollywood A-list with another captivating performance as the young woman whose life Eloise witnesses in her dreams; as always, Taylor-Joy works just about maximum mileage out of every gesture. The late Dianna Rigg also gives one last terrific performance as Eloise’s no-nonsense landlady, with her acerbic wit and flawless line readings making for arguably the film’s most memorable performance. (And since I'm allowed more latitude here than on a non-spoiler review at Letterboxd, I'll take a bit of time to say that the real highlights of her performance come after the big reveal.) Terence Stamp is also lots of fun to watch in a quietly menacing performance as a suspicious old man, nimbly doing just enough to lend a more sinister edge to his character’s behavior while leaving room to question just how dangerous he might really be. As is also customary in an Edgar Wright film, this inspired acting is set against terrific production values, including evocative cinematography gorgeously bathed in reds and blues, gorgeous costumes, and a setting so well integrated into the narrative that it practically feels like a character unto itself. The narrative’s ultimate trajectory is strange and violent enough that it won’t be every viewer’s cup of tea, but for those on board with what Wright presents, it’s a gripping experience that takes some big swings and goes off in genuinely intriguing directions. The COVID age has altered many films’ fates dramatically, and it is my hope that the poor box office performance for Last Night in Soho will not consign it to obscurity; as a big and mostly successful pivot for an immensely talented filmmaker, it deserves to be experienced.

 

A-

[Avatree]

Wow this was just magical. For first half an hour, I felt uneasy, wasn't sure what was happening. (and wasn't sure where Thomasin's accent was meant to be from.)

 

The first dream sequence was dazzling, but when the second one started, my brain just snapped and I got completely sucked in, it was really special. And then once the film had me in love with it, that's when it started getting creepy and insidious. The build up really enhanced the horror for me. The powerlessness of both female characters. The dread of what was coming.

I was clinging to my seat and sweating at the palms.

 

Everything about this was delightful. I dont remember the last time I felt so enthused by a film. Maybe Midsommar, 2 years ago.

 

I've seen some negative reviews regarding the film's feminism, but tbh I never felt the film was trying to push that message across, it was just telling a story set firmly in reality.

[Flopped]

Enough good stuff here to recommend the movie, but it loses its focus as it goes, with repetitive scenes that don't build on each other like in the meticulously crafted Black Swan. B-