Last Night In Soho is an intense thriller that will have viewers on the edge of their seats throughout — and completely shook by the end.
Last Night In Soho is a dark and twisted tale that blurs the lines between horror and thriller. Viewers will be on the edge of their seats for almost the entire film thanks to the captivating story, incredible cinematography, eerie score, and phenomenal lead actresses. The entire third act of one of Edgar Wright’s best films is a complete surprise, and will leave the majority of audiences completely shook, with their jaws on the floor.
The story centers around Ellie, a young aspiring fashion designer who has just gotten accepted into fashion school in London. Her grandmother is a bit worried about her going to a big city, especially because of her “gift”. It is revealed very early on that she has a connection with dead people.
She sees her mother in the mirrors of their home, and Gran is nervous that London will be too much for her — after all, it was too much for Ellie’s mother who killed herself when Ellie was a little girl.
Almost immediately after arriving in London Ellie connects with a dead woman and spends her nights galivanting around the 60s in London as her while sleeping. Each night Ellie gets to know Sandy a little more, the girl that she wishes she was. When the lines between reality and vision start to blur, things get crazy.
This movie does a fantastic job of unraveling the story for the audience, just as it does for Ellie. We are given little bits of glimpses into Sandy’s life each night, until it all comes together in the end. Ellie becomes obsessed with Sandy, even changing her hair to look like her. But Sandy’s past starts to haunt Ellie in a way that she never expected.
Last Night In Soho starts off with a fantastic song and dance number by Thomasin McKenzie, who steals the screen whenever she is on it. Since her life does switch back and forth with another, the casting as Anya-Taylor Joy as Sandy works very well. The two are both powerhouses on screen and are able to perfectly mirror each other as the important role in their story.
As the film goes on, things get dark, twisted, and simply put, terrifying. Last Night In Soho is an intense thriller that most people will have to sleep on to fully digest — after a pallet cleanser of course. The entire third act is a complete surprise that just keeps getting crazier and crazier. And the jump scares? Oh yeah, they are there. Perfectly timed and all.
The supporting roles in Last Night In Soho are great as well, but it is McKenzie and Joy who shine the most on screen. The two of them capture Ellie and Sandy’s lives so perfectly, that it is easy to become intrigued and captivated by them. The way that Ellie wants to see more and more, the audience will too.
There is an important underlying message here about what some women go through just to get ahead. They come to a big city with dreams of being famous and if they fall in with the wrong men, they can easily just become a shell of who they were, doing things they never planned to do. That part of the movie is a powerful one, and something all young girls should be aware of.
Edgar Wright proves yet again that he is a master in this business, and one of the best directors of our time with Last Night In Soho. This movie is brilliant. Right from the start the incredible cinematography hits you in the face, and just gets better as the movie goes on. Some of the final scenes are legit terrifying because of the way that it is shot.
With Ellie and Sandy connecting through mirrors, it is absolutely amazing to see the attention to detail that goes into that. Whenever one passes a mirror, the other is seen. Early on, Sandy is running down stairs with mirrors next to her, and Ellie is captivated by her, following along in the mirror — stunning.
The costuming, the hair, the makeup, and the soundtrack and score really help to give the feel of London — in both the present and the 60s. The way that it seamlessly switches between times is so well done, and should be applauded. It becomes completely believable because of the set and costume changes, something that must have been quite a feat to pull off.
The lighting plays a big role in Last Night In Soho so much so that it could be considered one of the characters. From the strobe lights during dance scenes, to the red lights shining through Ellie’s room as she gets ready for bed. That coupled with the angles and mirror shots in the cinematography, and topped off with genius writing and leads who throw their all into these roles, makes this one of the best films of the year.
Overall, this movie doesn’t have the same feel as Edgar Wright’s other work, but we should all be thankful he decided to step outside of his comfort zone and just go for it. The result is a brilliant movie with twists and turns that will not disappoint. You will be on the edge of your seat through the entire third act, at the very least.
This is a movie that will stick with viewers for a while. Not only because of the sheer terror it provides, but because of the cryptic underlying message as well. Audiences will be shook. See this one on the big screen, it begs for it.
An intense movie that is part thriller, part horror, and all brilliant. The entire third act is a surprise and will leave you shook. Joy & McKenzie are completely captivating.
About Last Night In Soho
An aspiring fashion designer is mysteriously able to enter the 1960s, where she encounters a dazzling wannabe singer. However, the glamour is not all it appears to be, and the dreams of the past start to crack and splinter into something far darker.
Last Night In Soho played at TIFF and hits theaters on October 29th.
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. She is also a Freelance Writer. Tessa has been in the Entertainment writing business for ten years and is a member of several Critics Associations including the Critics Choice Association and the Greater Western New York Film Critics Association.