As the great (until he wasn’t) Andy Bernard once said (bet you weren’t expecting an Office quote to open this review), “I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days, before you’ve actually left them.” And it makes sense. We often look back on the past with rose-tinted glasses, making us want to relive those experiences.
But director Edgar Wright’s Last Night in Soho posits the supposed “good old days” are not something to yearn for at all. What if the moments we look back on so fondly were, in fact, instead, horrifying and dangerous. And that’s exactly what aspiring fashion designer Eloise “Ellie” Turner (the fantastic Thomasin McKenzie) learns in Wright’s latest.
Ellie moves from her country home to study at the prestigious London College of Fashion. She’s bright-eyed and full of hope, but that all comes crashing down almost immediately. She has trouble fitting in at her dorm, especially with her mean girl-esque roommate, Jocasta. She ultimately decides to move out of the dorm and rents a room in a house from Ms. Collins (the late great Diana Rigg, in her final role).
And that’s when things really take a turn for Ellie. While sleeping, she finds herself transported to 1960’s London, the era that she loves and serves as such an inspiration for her fashion work. While there, Ellie becomes a sort of pseudo-twin for aspiring singer Sandie (Anya Taylor-Joy). At first, Ellie is completely taken with Sandie, in awe of her confidence and self-assuredness. Ellie starts changing herself, her clothing style, hairstyle, even the way she talks and acts, to mirror that of Sandie. And at first, it’s great. Ellie is more confident, her teacher loves her designs, she’s really coming into her own. But it’s not long before Ellie sees the dark side of Sandie’s life. She’s clearly being abused and exploited, finding herself in increasingly dangerous situations.
As Sandie’s life begins to unravel, so too does Ellie’s. Her two realities start blending together, as the ghosts of Sandie’s past start to manifest in Ellie’s present-day life. As her visits to the past become more and more dangerous, Ellie has to solve the mystery of what happened to Sandie if she wants to save her own life as well.
The premise here is great, and the setup for the story is some of the best film making of any movie this year. While the “small town person struggles in the big city” isn’t exactly breaking new ground, but it works because it’s such a relatable situation. And McKenzie is so convincing as Ellie, you can’t help but be drawn in to her story and struggles. Once we see her first foray into the past, we see Wright’s creative talents on full display. The moment she discovers the pathway from her room to London is one of the coolest sequences you’ll see. In particular, this shot of her coming up on a Thunderball marquee is maybe my favorite single shot in any movie this year (yes, it’s heightened for me by the fact that it’s James Bond, but it’s still awesome).
Wright clearly has a love and appreciation for this time period – the good, non-violent/misogynistic parts, at least – and you can see the care put into every single set piece. Last Night in Soho looks, feels, and sounds absolutely incredible. The set designs, the costumes, the music, it’s all top notch. As great as those aspects are, it takes a back seat to performances on display here.
Thomasin McKenzie is a star on the rise (if you haven’t seen Leave No Trace, fix that now), and Anya Taylor-Joy is a bona fide superstar. Taylor-Joy in particular was a pitch-perfect casting choice. She has the effortless feels of a Hollywood starlet from a bygone era, fitting in perfectly in 1960s London.
The supporting cast is equally up to task as well. I mentioned Diana Rigg and Ellie’s landlord. She has a couple scenes where she really gets to show off. Matt Smith plays good-guy-but-maybe-actually-terrible-guy? Jack, Sandie’s manager/boyfriend. Smith is also perfect here, appearing charming on the outside, while still hinting at something more sinister maybe sitting beneath the surface. And then there’s Terrence Stamp as Silver Haired Gentlemen, a patron at the bar Ellie later works at, who she thinks might be stalking her.
Where Last Night in Soho really shines are the 60s scenes. At times, Ellie is like a ghost (think the Pensieve scenes in Harry Potter), while at others she is Sandie, like a mirror-image of her. With Ellie’s perspective on the events constantly changing, it keeps you guessing as to what is actually happening. Are these dreams, visions, is it happening for real? It also leads to some insanely cool editing tricks, transitioning seamlessly back and forth from Ellie to Sandie and back again and again.
A movie like Last Night in Soho is obviously going to have its share of twists and turns along the way. And this is where the movie does struggle a bit, particularly in the third act. Some reveals may seem obvious, or too contrived. And while I agree with those sentiments to an extent, it’s not enough of a drop-off to really hurt its overall quality. And there’s so much goodwill built up over the stunning first half that you might find yourself a bit more forgiving of any shortcomings.
The intriguing premise, dynamite performances, and the phenomenal technical aspects all amount to one of the best and most exciting movies the year has to offer.
Score: 92/100
