VENICE 2021: Last Night in Soho
Edgar Wright’s style as a storyteller is to take well-established genres from worldwide cinema of the 70s and ‘80s and playing with them to create something new. Shaun of the Dead is a zombie comedy with strong Romero influences, Hot Fuzz makes fun of buddy cop movies with a style reminiscent of Michael Bay and Tony Scott, The World’s End blended Invasion of the Body Snatchers with themes of mid-life crisis, and Baby Driver is a highly stylised ode to crime capers from Michael Mann and Walter Hill.
Last Night in Soho continues this tradition, as the British filmmaker takes the noir atmospheres, neon-drenched visuals, and grotesque imagery of horror films from the ‘70s, in particular the Giallo subgenre popularised by Dario Argento and Mario Bava, and the Nicolas Roeg classic Don’t Look Now. To be vague as far as its plot goes, the film is closer to a ghost story, as Thomasin McKenzie’s aspiring fashion designer Ellie is transported every night to 1960s London, her main source of inspiration. There, she becomes obsessed with Sandie (Anya Taylor-Joy), an ambitious wannabe singer, and her manager Jack (Matt Smith).
Not unlike other films that see contemporary characters reliving a past they idolise – Midnight in Paris instantly comes to mind – Last Night in Soho reminds audiences that there have always been problems for women, even during as glamourous a time as the ‘60s. Krysty Wilson-Cairn, with an Oscar nomination under her belt for 1917, co-wrote the script with Wright, and her influence is felt as the female perspective is quite strong here. London has never felt more beautiful and scary, as people can easily wander off from a high-class nightclub to dingy alleyways with men willing to do anything to take advantage of young girls.
Women have often been at the centre of these types of stories, either as victims, objects of desire, or mentally insane killers. What Wright and Wilson-Cairn do here is giving back power to the female characters, as both McKenzie and Taylor-Joy are vulnerable but never weak, both trying to belong in a patriarchal world that will abuse and ridicule them any chance they get. The ending, while following a predictable pattern, saves itself from taking a problematic turn and further reinforces the subversive, feminist approach of the picture.
Production designer Marcus Rowland won the Campari Passion for Film Award before the world premiere of Last Night in Soho, and his work here is particularly impressive: the recreation of 1960s Northern London – especially in the interior decour – is simply wonderful, richly textured, and beautiful to look at. The soundtrack features an incredible range of music from the era, with “Downtown” by Petula Clark working as a leitmotif, while Sparks Brothers and other contemporary artists are sparingly played during the modern-day scenes. Performances are all excellent, with Thomasin McKenzie carrying the film on her shoulders with effective charisma and really expressive eyes that convey a strong sense of emotion and immense fear during some of the more tense moments. Shoutout to young Michael Ajao, who is very charismatic and enjoyable to watch, stealing every scene he is in.
Last Night in Soho is a definite success for Wright. While it will not be as highly rewatchable – by design – as some of the other films he has made, it is still an intoxicating and enthralling watch from beginning to end that never slows down. Thrilling, while also saying something truly timeless about the role of women in contemporary society, reminding that the past should never be forgotten but rather used as a way to improve the future.