‘Last Night In Soho’ Review: Edgar Wright’s Psychological Trip Back In Time

Director: Edgar Wright

Writers: Edgar Wright(story by), Krysty Wilson-Cairns(screenplay by)

Stars: Thomasin McKenzie, Anya Taylor-Joy, Matt Smith, Michael Ajao

“I’d live in London in the 1960s. It must have been the center of the universe!” says Eloise played by the brilliant Thomasin McKenzie, the main character at the center of Edgar Wrights psychedelic thriller ‘Last Night In Soho’. Wright whisks his audience back into the heart of the swinging sixties in London, a period when singers like Cilla Black and Petula Clark reigned the charts, and Carnaby Street is bustling with energy. In the acclaimed directors psychological thriller, Eloise, an aspiring fashion designer, is mysteriously able to enter the 1960s where she encounters a dazzling wannabe singer, Sandie (played by Anya Taylor-Joy). Experiencing what seems to be a vivid dream, Eloise is captivated by the gorgeous young singer Sandie, as the two women enter a glamorous nightclub and Cilla Black’s 1964 hit, “You’re My World,” plays on the soundtrack, they become mirror images and their stories completely fuse.

LAST NIGHT IN SOHO

Sandie meets a manager Jack (played by Matt Smith) who promises to help her get an audition. Ellie uses Sandie as her muse and creates some of the most stunning fashion pieces, impressing her lecturer with her theory of creating a dress for the wearer, and the not the other way around. As days pass, Ellie visions take on a darker turn and she begins to see a sinister side to Soho. A strange man seems to be stalking Ellie, which disturbs her further. One of Ellie’s classmates, John (played by Michael Ajao) who cares for Ellie, is worried as her behaviour becomes stranger and more erratic. The plot at this point without giving to much away, drastically darkens.

The film truly is the best kind of love letter to cinema and an era, delivers almost as many pleasures as apparitions. The music without question is a perfect ode to the 60’s, as Wright reaches across time to show what the big city can do to a young woman’s dreams. Anya Taylor-Joy whom shot to fame in Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit, is perfect for her role and simply captivating, she oozes charisma and star quality. We also can’t forget the alluring Thomasin McKenzie, who proves she can command a screen, and can deliver a character of where desire and vulnerability meet.

‘Last Night In Soho’ for myself emerges as one of the best film’s I’ve seen this year. The mash-up of genres from time travel to psychological thriller to horror, Wright has catered for all film enthusiasts. You can tell how much he loved this era, and after watching ‘Last Night In Soho’, I have to say I feel the same.

‘Last Night In Soho’ Screening was courtesy of Luna Cinemas Leederville as part of The British Film Festival and Universal Pictures.

neillfrazer@hotmail.com

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