LFF Review: ‘Last Night in Soho’
Although it has a few bright spots, particularly a haunting performance from Anya Taylor-Joy, Last Night in Soho is ultimately a sloppy, poorly executed misfire that is all style and no substance.
When the trailer for Edgar Wright‘s Last Night in Soho first debuted, it was met with considerable fanfare, and understandably so; with stunning visuals, haunting sequences, and what seemed to be powerful performances from stars Thomasin McKenzie and Anya Taylor-Joy, it had all the right ingredients to be a breakthrough hit for everyone involved. Unfortunately, however, the trailer may have spoiled all the best parts of the film, leaving viewers with an empty husk of a movie that thinks it is much deeper than it actually is.
Last Night in Soho follows Eloise (McKenzie), an aspiring fashion designer who is mysteriously able to enter the 1960s, where she encounters a dazzling wannabe singer, Sandie (Taylor-Joy). But the glamour is not all it appears to be and the dreams of the past start to crack and splinter into something far darker, as she must fight to not only save Sandie’s life but hers as well.
Director Edgar Wright said his intention with Soho was to warn audiences of “the danger of being overly nostalgic about previous decades” and why it’s wrong to “romanticize” the past. The film’s main protagonist, Eloise, undoubtedly fits the bill; utterly transfixed with a bygone era that she has never experienced herself, Eloise constantly listens to music from the ’60s, daydreaming of days that she perceives to be better than our current times, an idea that, as the film progresses, slowly and slowly starts to vanish from her consciousness.
As Eloise inexplicably starts having mysterious visions of the past, particularly involving ambitious singer Sandie and her new manager Jack (Matt Smith), she begins to realize that the past hasn’t been particularly kind to women, a “lesson” that anyone with cognitive abilities and a working brain could have told you. However, Wright seems to think that this particular message is groundbreaking, painting it as some sort of big reveal for his protagonist. Along the way, he imbues the film with depictions of both verbal and physical violence against women, bashing the audience over the head with the film’s themes and messages in an over-the-top manner. By the time the film trudges along to its baffling conclusion, most viewers will have understandably checked out due to a misguided reveal that threatens to derail the entire film.
However, thanks to committed performances from McKenzie, Taylor-Joy, Smith and Diana Rigg in her final on-screen performance, Last Night in Soho manages to stay on course – even if barely so. As the meek and naive Eloise, McKenzie is a delight, lighting up the screen with her earnestness and charm. On paper, Eloise may not be particularly likeable; however, McKenzie manages to bring some much-needed brevity to the role, ensuring audiences will still root for her regardless of the misguided decisions she so often makes. Ultimately, however, this is by far and large Taylor-Joy’s film. She steals the show (and practically runs away with it) whenever she appears on screen, with a haunting, incredibly searing performance that only heightens in both intensity and pathos as the film (and Sandie’s predicament) progresses. Her powerful, incredibly vivid performance is further proof that she is undoubtedly a movie star. It’s just a shame, however, that the film itself can never rise up to her level.
Despite its lack of focus and its uneven screenplay, Last Night in Soho is still ultimately worth the watch, thanks to its breathtaking visuals and stunning performances. It will not stay with you after the credits roll, but it is a guaranteed fun time at the theatre as long as you don’t think about it too hard.
Rating: 2.5/5
Last Night in Soho screened at the 2021 London Film Festival on October 9, 2022.