MOVIE OF THE WEEK (10/29/21): LAST NIGHT IN SOHO
"See that man behind me? The one who looks like a doctor? Who? Him!" Matt Smith stars as Jack and Anya Taylor-Joy as Sandie in Edgar Wright' thriller LAST NIGHT IN SOHO. Credit: Parisa Taghizadeh
WATCH THE TRAILER HERE:
DIRECTOR: Edgar Wright
KEY CAST MEMBERS: Thomasin McKenzie, Ana Taylor Joy, Matt Smith, Michael Ajao, Rita Tushingham, Synnøve Karlsen, Dame Diana Rigg and Terrance Stamp
THE BACK STORY: Eloise (New Zealand actress Thomasin McKenzie) – "Ellie" if you will – is a country girl with a simple dream: Move to the big city (in this case, London) and live out her dream of becoming a big time fashion designer. Her grandmother Peggy (Rita Tushingham), however, is very concerned for her well being, especially given what happened to Eloise's mother (Amieé Cassettari) when she tried to do the same.
Arriving in London, Eloise quickly realizes things are a bit different in the big city. Her assigned roommate Jocasta (Synnøve Karlsen) is every bit the party girl she is not, making her seek refuge in the available space owned by Ms. Collins (the late Dame Diana Rigg). Much more suitable to her needs, Ms. Collins' space is a perfect place for Eloise to enjoy her love of all things 1960s, from fashion to music.
The new space, however, comes with an unexpected surprise. For whenever Eloise – who has been having visions of her late mother back home – goes to sleep, she begins having visions of 1960s England and particularly of Sandie (Ana Taylor-Joy), a cabaret singer with impeccable fashion and style for days. She also sees visions of Jack (Matt Smith)a debonair playboy who seems like the perfect manager to Sandie.
But wouldn't you just know it? Seems like the deeper into the world of 1960s London Eloise's dreams take her, the deeper the glamour of the world unravels – especially since she starts having visions of shadowy figures and Sandie's descent into madness. And as Sandie's world starts to unravel in Eloise's dreams, so does Eloise's reality ...
All that glitters may not be gold indeed; in this case, it could be fatal.
THE REVIEW: Last Night in Soho is not a gory, traditional hack and slash horror movie like the latest Halloween debacle. (If we're friends on Facebook or have ever seen me do stand-up, you already know how I feel about the latest installment of that franchise.) What it is, though, is a very finely crafted psychological thriller that, in the wake of Harvey Weinstein, Bill Cosby and so many others, feels timely while also being stylish, intelligent and – at times – a little scary to boot.
McKenzie and Taylor-Joy shine as mirror images of each other. Separated by decades character-wise, each actress plays opposite the other well to make the film's multi-dimensional existence work at every critical turn. Without their careful attention to detail, you wouldn't feel any of the emotions that both ladies expertly convey to move the story forward, which is masterfully executed under the watchful eye of co-writer/director Edgar Wright.
Instead of a predictable story or one that is out to make a statement, you get a fine homage to 1960s without any Austin Powers hokeyness while also delving into the seedy underbelly of life in the big city. Nothing is rushed, everything is paced out as it should be and despite some secondary characters that could probably use a little more screen time and the story lacks predictable elements. Add in a soundtrack that enhances the story – each song selection is perfectly matched for both the era and the part of the story being told – as a character itself and everything simply works and works well.
In short, if you are looking for an entertaining thriller this Halloween, perhaps you should skip the more traditional fare and find a surprising treat in the form of Last Night in Soho.
OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):
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