Last Night In Soho (a film mini-review by Mark R. Leeper and Evelyn C. Leeper).
‘Last Night In Soho’ looks back at the 1960s through the dreams and often nightmares,of Ellie, a would-be fashion designer in present-day London, played by Thomasin McKenzie. Directed by Edgar Wright, the film combines psychological horror, mystery and nostalgia into something that is both visually dazzling and increasingly unsettling.
The extensive use of 1960s music gives even the modern-day scenes a distinctly retro atmosphere. Fortunately, the cinematography makes excellent use of colour palettes, filters and lighting to distinguish between the different periods. Special praise is due to the production and set designers, who recreate Soho’s swinging-sixties heyday with remarkable style and attention to detail.
Ellie becomes obsessed with the life of Sandie, an aspiring singer in the 1960s, played by Anya Taylor-Joy. Through her dreams, Ellie appears to inhabit Sandie’s world, experiencing both its glamour and its darker realities. Sandie sees a future filled with promise, but many of the paths open to her come with hidden costs. The dream-like journeys into the past give the film a faint ‘Midnight In Paris’ flavour, although Wright’s film ultimately travels into considerably darker territory.
The performances are strong throughout, particularly from McKenzie and Taylor-Joy, whose characters become increasingly intertwined as the story progresses. The supporting cast adds further weight, including Diana Rigg in her final film role, alongside Terence Stamp and Rita Tushingham.
What makes ‘Last Night In Soho’ particularly memorable is the sheer number of ideas packed into it. There is enough material here for two separate films: one a nostalgic fantasy about longing for a vanished age, the other a psychological horror story about the dangers lurking beneath nostalgia’s polished surface. Wright manages to keep both threads in play for most of the running time, producing a film that remains surprising right up to its conclusion.
Released theatrically on 29th October 2021.
Rating: +3 (-4 to +4), or 9/10.
Editor’s note: This review was found in the pending section of Mark R. Leeper’s account during a site tidy-up. Sadly, Mark passed away before he had the chance to give it his final edit and press publish. As one of the Internet’s longest-running film reviewers, Mark left behind an extraordinary body of writing, full of curiosity, precision, dry wit and a lifelong love of cinema. We are publishing this piece in that spirit, as one more small dispatch from a voice much missed by readers, friends and fellow travellers in Science Fiction fandom.
