When I heard Edgar Wright's new horror picture was coming out, I was really excited, and he did not disappoint. His typical hyperactive editing and aggressive post-modernism have been abandoned in favor of fluid movement and strong emotion. The film follows Eloise 'Ellie' Turner, a young woman who comes to London to study fashion. She begins dreaming and waking up in the body of another person after moving into a new apartment. Sandie, a wannabe singer of the 60s, is the owner of the body she was in. That's all I can disclose, if you want to know more, please watch the movie.
The film is truly one-of-a-kind, in a positive way. I was completely perplexed for the first 30 to 40 minutes of the film and kept asking myself, "What the heck is going on?" You'll pick up clues gradually, as hints are given from the beginning till the end of the film, as I did. Instead of having some characters tell me what was going on, I gradually understood what was going on. That's truly a filmmaking goal, show, do not tell.
Not as a trendy, brightly colored retail destination, but as an overwhelming, neon-lit playground of thrillingly sleazy nightlife, Wright and his crew create a magnificent replica of London. Wright makes brilliant use of production designer Marcus Rowland's evocative sets and costume designer Odile Dicks-fashion-forward Mireaux's ensembles, in the '60s interludes. The viewers are continually frightened and suffocated by the hot reds and blues that infiltrate through the dominant night backgrounds, giving them the impression that anything could spring out of nowhere.
Transitions aren't a problem for MacKenzie. She's already earned a name for herself with pieces like Leave No Trace and Jojo Rabbit, but she's so charming and versatile here that there doesn't seem to be anything she can't accomplish. Other notable performances include Tushingham, Rigg, and a wolfish Terence Stamp. These aren't just cameos; they're big roles played with a great deal of authority.
Knowing that Diana Rigg died shortly after Wright finished the film, and with the opening scene dedicated to "For Diana," watching Last Night in Soho was a very different experience for me, one that I will remember for a long time.
SCORE RATING: 4.5/5
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