My Review of Last Night in Soho

Looking into a mirror, we see the past in our features. Every wrinkle, every mole, every scar tells a story: some happy, some sad, and some haunting.

Last Night in Soho is a sexy, stylish psychological thriller directed and co-written by Edgar Wright and Krysty Wilson-Cairns. The bulk of the film takes place in London and follows the life of Eloise “Ellie” Turner (played by Thomasin McKenzie), who begins to have dreams or visions of 60’s London and a rising star in the performing arts business named Sandie (Anya Taylor-Joy of Queen's Gambit).

If you’re seeking a jump scare, gore gallery, or an intense paranormal flick, you’ll be disappointed. But that’s not to say Last Night doesn’t have something to offer or that it’s not worth your time. This is a film like no other and it will have you wondering what happens next until the very end.

The beginning focuses on Ellie’s life and her relationships with those around her. She is the odd one out, the person most people avoid because she is different. What makes her different is that she sees things that aren’t there. First, she sees her dead mother (who committed suicide due to a mental breakdown) in a mirror in her grandmother's house, and next Sandie who either haunts her dreams or who haunts her bedroom, it’s unclear.

Due to her mother’s mental instability, the viewer is left wondering if her daughter has this condition as well and if the visions are in her head or if they are ghosts. While this is happening, we are also seeing another story progress, a story within a story - Sandie’s story. While Ellie struggles to make connections, Sandie doesn’t. While Ellie withdraws into the bathroom or into a different room of her dorm, Sandie makes it known what she wants.

Thomasin McKenzie does a fantastic job of portraying the shy, kind, and empathic Ellie. Her mannerisms are spot-on and enhance the film in many unique ways, as does Michael Ajao's performance of the shy and awkward John, who becomes Ellie's unofficial boyfriend throughout the film. I especially loved the spooky way he asked Ellie to go to a Halloween dance with him dressed as.... yep, you guessed it, ghosts.

The story within the story format of the film is critical to maintaining tension in the film as there are virtually no “scares” in the first half. The tension is maintained, adequately by the story of Ellie and Sandy, which forces the viewer to draw a comparison between these two women, how they are alike and how they are different. This is something that is not seen much in horror films, or psychological thrillers. And it works here.

There is also a certain element of fantasy woven in that deserves a mention. When Ellie first enters the 1960s London scene and she’s watching Sandie dance and sing, there is an element of wonder, of the fantastic. The cars and buildings, the dance numbers and songs and clothing, all ring true to the time and give the film a surreal feel.

The director Edgar Wright had mentioned Suspiria as being a film that inspired him, and I believe here in Last Night, with the dancing and the dress - the dark side to the glamor and the art - we can see that inspiration being incorporated into this unique twist on the original ghost story. It’s not very scary, even in the latter half of the film. But the uniqueness of the tale and how it unfolds gives it a style all its own. Aside from Suspira, I can’t think of anything to compare it to.

The film is beautifully shot, of course, we can expect that as Chung-hoon Chung was the cinematographer and he brought a unique and stylish perspective to the film that makes it a delight to watch. One especially memorable moment was Sandie going up the stairs chasing Ellie at the end of the film. Mirrors are important throughout the film, symbolizing the past and the present converging, and near the end how the steps and walls cracked like glass, it added another layer to the film, another deeper dimension.

The soundtrack also enriched the film and added an upbeat feel to an otherwise melancholy movie. Most songs were 60's hits, and Anya performs Downtown (downtempo) in real life.

One weak area of the film for me, however, was the explanation behind Ellie's visions. Or lack thereof. Is she empathic? Psychic? Are they ghosts? How did she see young Sandie? Was she Sandie or was she watching Sandie or was she sometimes Sandie? Leaving a few unanswered questions can inspire audience discussion, engagement, and re-watching of the film. But I felt as if there were just too many questions in this case for that to be an effective strategy. I think faced with so many possibilities, some viewers sadly may turn away from the film and not finish.

MY RATING: B+ (Worth the Watch)

Last Night is not your conventional ghost story. It probably won’t scare you, make you sick, or make you scream. But it will make you wonder what happens next, and it is a unique twist on the original ghost story. Though it leaves more questions than it answers, it entertains, and it is a film fans of Anya Taylor-Joy will want to see. If only to see her play the villain for once.