Film review: ‘Last Night in Soho’ revises swinging ’60s London with added gore for full fantastical measure

By creammagazine, November 22, 2021

Edgar Wright’s transformative and surprisingly macabre film, Last Night in Soho, takes you on a sumptuous journey, equal in doses of fantasy and horror. Aided by master cinematographer Chung- Hoon Chung, Wright presents a visceral experience where dazzling 1960s London becomes a dark and violent setting, shrouded in secrets that connect the past to the present.

Ellie (Thomasin McKenzie) is a wide-eyed fashion student dreaming to make it big in the English capital, her life dissolving between present day London and a vivid dream.

In her dream state, Ellie is transported in time to the swinging 1960s. At the Cafe de Paris, she meets a young woman named Sandie (Anya Taylor-Joy of The Queen’s Gambit fame), and inquires about becoming a singer at the club. Soon Ellie’s life is paralleling much of Sandie’s, and it’s a life of shattering consequences.

Metaphoric duality is strong in this film, driving stylistic choices of setting, lighting and editing that reverb a growing dynamic style, beyond Wright’s trademark of lightning-quick editing, to supercharged sophisticated sequences, bound to elicit accolades from fans and attract a new breed of audience.

Wright’s vintage fandom of 1960s is romantically recreated with settings of nocturnal mirrored dance clubs adorned with chandeliers and glittery staircase, and a backdrop of hit ’60s songs.

This film is a departure from the director’s usual comedic wit (Hot Fuzz) and recent foray into feature documentary (Sparks – a music industry revelation that is highly recommended viewing).

But I digress. The chilling premise of Last Night in Soho draws from a weaving narrative (the less revealed, the better) made all the more intriguing with legendary British actors: Terrance Stamp, Diana Rigg, Matt Smith, et. al.

It appears that behind the message of abhorrent male violence is an alignment to the #MeToo movement, where generational sexual violence against women is scrutinised with an authentic female perspective. Edgar Wright, cannot do any wrong, wry comedy, modern documentary to hybrid neo-horror with sumptuous direction. He is fast emerging as a most exciting and innovative director leading media trends of transformative hybrid genres, seizing his extraordinary signature style and surpassing it.

Annette McCubbin

‘Last Night At Soho’ is in cinemas now.