Last Night in Soho

Last Night in Soho
Starring Thomasin McKenzie, Anya Taylor-Joy, Diana Rigg, Matt Smith
Directed by Edgar Wright

The works of Edgar Wright are as unique and compelling as anything you've seen on screen, a visionary man who transcends genres and supplies audiences with powerful pieces of cinema that often go unsung to the traditional moviegoer, but for those who salivate over his next work, we can't wait to see what distinctive product he comes up with next (and many of us are still upset over the debacle that occurred between Wright and Marvel, leaving his "Ant-Man" film as nothing more than a whimsical thought, although his script was used for most of it). He's best known for satirical genre films as well as utilizing popular music as more than mere background noise, and no film epitomizes this than his action-packed 2017 film "Baby Driver." Yet Wright is best known for his "Three Flavours Cornetto" trilogy of films, three films that blend differing genres: "Shaun of the Dead" (horror), "Hot Fuzz" (buddy cop comedy), and "The World's End" (sci-fi). He also brought to the big screen in epic glory "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World," and basically anything he's touched has turned to cinematic gold, so when - in the "before days" - word came that he was writing and directing a pure psychological horror film, fans were clamoring at the bit to watch it. Unfortunately we had to wait a little longer, but the wait was totally worth it, as "Last Night in Soho" showcased Wright's talents to their full effect.

Eloise "Ellie" Turner (Thomasin McKenzie) is an old soul who aspires to be a fashion designer and who absolutely loves everything 1960s, from the fashion to the music to the movies, and wants to design her fashions after the rambunctious decade. She gets accepted to the prestigious London College of Fashion, and leaves her country home for the big city of London - with a warning from her grandmother to guard her mind, as she has an ability that her mother had: being able to receive strong psychic links to her environment, which led to her mother's suicide. Upon arriving in London, she finds that she doesn't fit in with the other wannabe fashionistas and moves to a bedsit run by the stern yet kindly Ms. Collins (Diana Rigg).

On her first night at her new home, Ellie is transported to the 1960s where she sees Sandie (Anya Taylor-Joy), a no-nonsense aspiring singer with confidence to spare, and who wants to make a name for herself. She draws the attention of Jack (Matt Smith), a manager who promises Sandie the world, only for Sandie to later discover that he made that promise to a lot of attractive young women. Ellie is smitten with Sandie's confidence, and she slowly begins to shed her innocent country facade and gain her own confidence, even drawing the attention of fellow wannabe designer John (Michael Ajao). As Ellie keeps dreaming of Sandie's perfect life, she soon realizes that not everything is as it seems, and Sandie's once-dream job turns into a nightmare that Ellie also experiences, leading both down a dangerous path.

"Last Night in Soho" is one of those great psychological horror films that lingers with you long after it ends, unlike most horror films that rely on cheap jump scares that you forget about as soon as you exit the theater. This is a film that plays to all of Edgar Wright's strengths and leaves an indelible mark on you that'll make you question what you just saw in the best way possible. This film doesn't spoon-feed you its plot but allows you to think for yourself what's happening at any given moment, and provides a visual wonder that's top-notch.

Wright uses his love for popular music once again to its strength by incorporating some of the best music from the Swinging Sixties in his film, allowing the audience to audibly immerse themselves into the decade. Petula Clark's "Downtown" (which Anya Taylor-Joy does a chilling rendition of), James Ray's "Got My Mind Set On You," and Cilla Black's "You're My World" litter the audible landscape and crafts an amazing first half of the film that centers on Ellie's journey of self-discovery.

Technically, "Last Night in Soho" is an editing masterpiece that intrinsically uses quick cuts and edits to their best form, especially in the visions that Ellie has during Sandie's life. We see Ellie admiring Sandie from mirrors (or, in some of the best scenes, mimicking her) as she wishes she could have her elegant life, and one amazing scene that sticks in my mind is when Jack is dancing with Sandie on the dance floor, as the editing effortlessly blends Sandie and Ellie both dancing with Jack, switching from one character to another in what seems to be one long take. The film also employs the use of lighting and color to fully plunge you into the experience, most notably the use of red hues to showcase trouble and danger, a color often used in psychological horror films to express those deep emotions.

Visually, London never looked more appealing yet also so enveloping, swallowing the young Ellie up in its sea of vast streets, buildings, and people. Both in the modern day and the 60s, there wasn't a frame of beautiful elegance that went unnoticed, and that includes the fashion, which for a film centering around a wannabe fashion designer is a given. The costume designs were impeccable, showcasing the best of fashion from the 60s that serve as an eerie counter to the unrelenting terror that occurs to the characters during the second half.

"Soho" has many strengths going for it, and the icing on the cake is the performances that are delivered. Thomasin McKenzie is a relative newcomer with a few films under her belt ("Leave No Trace" is exceptional, while "Old" was...well...she was the best part of it), and Wright's casting of her was pure genius. She has this breathless, wispy voice that you'd hear in classic Hollywood films from greats like Audrey Hepburn and it's no surprise why someone like Ellie would be obsessed about sixties culture. Anya Taylor-Joy, on the other hand, has an old Hollywood appearance, showcasing elegance and grace mixed with vulnerability and strength like Barbara Lang, Grace Kelly, and Jane Powell. Ellie and Sandie start off the film as polar opposites, but find common ground and blend into their own characters, playing to the actresses' strengths in equal measure.

The supporting characters also give rousing performances. Matt "Dr. Who" Smith is your quintessential Boogeyman figure, a soulless man who uses women's bodies as he wills and dispatches of them when they grow too old without a care in the world, and he embodies the outer-shell sophistication with the inner demon persona of men of that era. Diana Rigg's Ms. Collins is a blend of elderly roughness with grandmotherly care, an actress who had a large catalogue of performances under her belt - from Bond girl to "Game of Thrones" - who sadly passed away last year, marking "Soho" as her last big screen performance.

While the first half paid homage to the Swinging Sixties, the second half sheds the facade and shows viewers what it was really like to be a struggling singer back then (and probably now as well). Sandie's tough demeanor gives way to a childlike sadness as she realizes Jack is using her as a prostitute, killing her dreams and reducing her life to nothing more than a toy for the old and wealthy to play with at their disposal. This leads to a shocking moment that also turns Ellie's life around as she feels like she's being pursued herself by Jack in the modern time, not to mention being haunted by the vast faceless army of men that Sandie had to deal with in life.  Wright not only provides a unique horror film, but also sheds light on how women were objectified and treated as sex objects for men of high society to use until they're depleted - something you witness in Sandie's appearance as she goes from vibrant confidence to a marionette figure just going through the motions. The lines between the past and present begin to blur, and Ellie finds herself in as much danger as Sandie did all those decades ago, as she frantically searches for the killer who could be watching her as well.

Blending the past with the present with top-notch editing techniques, "Last Night in Soho" is strengthened by strong performances, thrilling imagery, beautiful costumes and most importantly a top-notch script that's filled with exciting twists and turns, serving up a one-of-a-kind psychological thriller.

The Score: A+