Last Night in Soho is a brilliant film connecting two women in this thriller movie! It is directed and co-written by Edgar Wright also known for his Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy; Shaun of the Dead (2004), Hot Fuzz (2007), and The World’s End (2013). Wright also was the director and co-writer of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010) and recently the action movie, Baby Driver (2017). The co-screenwriter is Krysty Norma Lesley Wilson-Cairns who also cowrote the war movie, 1917 (2019), her first film after writing for the series Penny Dreadful. The movie opens with a woman dancing during the opening credits. We find out that this is Eloise Turner (Thomasin McKenzie), a young fashion designer who lives in modern Cornwall, at the south west of England. McKensive was in the drama, Leave No Trace (2018) and also recently in Jojo Rabbit (2019). She listens to records from the 60’s, a collection from her mother, her connection to that era. Eloise is a country girl, innocent, but she has the talent. She looks in the mirror and sees her mother (Aimee Cassettari). Eloise lives with her gran, Peggy (Rita Tushingham), the actress appeared in Doctor Zhivago (1965) and Being Julia (2004). She believes in Eloise’s talent, but worries about her going to London since Eloise’s mother died there.
Eloise fills her suitcase with records and then adds her clothes. She travels by train and taxi, but leaves the taxi when the driver comments about her legs. In London, she listens to a headset so we can get songs. Eloise takes her suitcases to her dorm room. There is a young man on the stairs (Michael Ajao) who asks to help her, but Eloise is too nervous. Ajao played Mayhem in Attack the Block (2011). Eloise finds her roommate, Jocasta (Synnøve Karlsen), is outgoing and has a circle of friends in the Mean Girls (2004) mode. Karlsen was in the historical series, Medici. She is Eloise’s bully that makes the 60’s fantasy seem like an escape Eloise also sees at the pub, John (Ajao), and he later becomes interested in Eloise, but gives her space to work out her problems. Eloise returns to her dorm only to find Jocasta interrupting her sleep. She finds herself trying to find rest, but ends up in the corner of a party. Eloise has finds an advert slip for a flat in SoHo, in the West End of London, and calls the owner, Ms. Collins. She is played by the legendary actress, Diana Rigg, in her last film (the movie begins with the tribute, "For Diana." Rigg is well known for playing Emma Peel in the spy series, The Avengers, she was in the James Bond film, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969), and appeared recently in Game of Thrones.
Ms. Collins likes the quiet life and tells Eloise that she doesn’t want any men after 8 p.m. The neon lights of Café de Paris flash red and blue in Eloise’s apartment. She brings up the covers to block out the light. Then, Eloise finds herself in front of a theater billboard of Thunderball (1965)! She walks into the Café de Paris and sees herself in reflections as a blonde haired woman (Anya Taylor-Joy). The actress is featured in The Queen’s Gambit, also the Jane Austen adaptation, Emma (2020), and also was memorable in The Witch (2015). The incredible designs of the 60’s nightclub are by Marcus Rowland. The stunning costumes are by Odile Dicks-Mireaux. The mysterious woman shrugs off the attention of men looking for the owner of the club. Sandie (Taylor-Joy) wants to become a singer. The bartender notes that she should talk to Jack (Matt Smith). The actor is of course known for playing the Eleventh Doctor in Doctor Who, he was also Prince Philip in The Crown, and has upcoming Daemon Targaryen in the House of the Dragon show. Jack is charming and takes Sandie out for a dance that quickly shifts to Eloise and Sandie in moments. Brilliant cinematography by Chung-hoon Chung who worked with Park Chan-Wook with The Handmaiden (2016), the horror movie, Zombieland: Double Tap (2019), and in 2022, he filmed episodes of the Obi-Wan Kenobi series.
Jack punches an older man leering at Eloise and they run away to be together. Eloise wakes up by her alarm, she slips into class at the London College of Fashion, and later works on a pink dress inspired (or obsessed) by Sandie. Her design has the dress and Sandie’s face. Also, there was another movie about a fashion designer in the 60’s, Cruella! Ms. Tobin (Elizabeth Berrington) is impressed by Eloise’s design and notes the hickey on her neck which was given by Jack to Sandie. The fantasy or dream has a real effect on Eloise and this will also mean a danger. Berrington played Charlotte in Quills (2000) and currently stars in the fantasy show, The Nevers. The next night, Eloise returns as Sandie, Jack takes her to the Rialto nightclub, and she performs Petula Clark’s “Downtown.” In the morning, Eloise dyes her hair blond like Sandie, and buys a white leather jacket. She gets a job at the Toucan pub hired by Margaret Nolan’s character. This is also her last movie, but she had a role in Goldfinger (1964) and the Carry On comedy films starting with Carry On Cowboy (1965). Eloise sees the Rialto symbol above a massage parlor. She is noticed by a Silver Haired Gentleman (Terence Stamp) who seems to recognize her. Eloise discovers that Sandie's dream of being a singer has ended up as an exotic dancer. There is a connection between the characters, a mystery behind what happened to Sandie, and some chills. Last Night in Soho is stylish, a touch of the supernatural, and a bold movie for Edgar Wright, the actors, and all of the filmmakers!
Five Pink Dresses out of Five!
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