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.
Director: Edgar Wright
Cast: Thomasin McKenzie, Anya Taylor-Joy, Matt Smith, Terence Stamp, Diana Rigg, Margaret Nolan
Release Date:
Genre: Drama, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Rated R for bloody violence, sexual content, language, brief drug material and brief graphic nudity
Runtime: 1h 56min
Review:
Edgar Wright's Last Night in Soho is a retro horror thriller that uses his technical prowess to deliver a visual cinematic treat. Wright, who co-wrote the film with Krysty Wilson-Cairns, draws inspiration from 60's horror thrillers and it's obvious from the onset it's a genre he loves as he recreates the era with incredible energy. Those 60's set sequences are the life blood of the film as he uses era songs and a seemingly endless bag of technical tricks to make them stand out. It's an impressive trick to watch him slyly move the atmosphere of these sequences from light and fun to something far more ominous and foreboding. Thomasin McKenzie and Anya Taylor-Joy hold the entire thing together with excellent engaging performances. McKenzie who looks and sounds like a life sized pixie is immediately believable as a country mouse in the big city. It's not the showiest of the two roles but she does get her moments to shine as the film takes on a more horror centric look and feel. Anya Taylor-Joy looks like she was born to channel the era with great effect much like she did in The Queen's Gambit. She's a blonde Barbie in pink with doll eyes filled with sadness. Sadly, both character's are woefully underwritten with each relying on well worn tropes far too much. The supporting cast makes it easier to ignore some of the scripts deficiencies with strong turns Matt Smith, Terence Stamp and the late Diana Rigg. Smith does well playing swarmy while Stamp is just as strong playing ominous and mysterious. Diana Rigg gets a fun cinematic send off as she blesses the screen with her signature style. Last Night in Soho falls just short of greatness mainly due to a script that only scratches the surface of its themes and characters even though its an incredibly fun ride.
B
