![]() You can see what Wright was trying too do and how he wanted his film to evolve but that doesn't excuse the loop we end up getting stuck in and the sometimes questionable choices that Eloise makes (with some added overacting by a trying hard but not always hitting the mark McKenzie) and while visually and atheistically everything is always of a very high standard, there's a coldness to the story of Soho and it never quite works as well as you'd like as a mystery or a fully fledged horror that it at times appears to be wanting to be. Magnificently capturing the time and place of the London era of the setting with help from Old Boy and Handmaiden cinematographer Chung-hoon Chung (delivering Oscar worthy work) and some eclectic and toe tapping concoction of classic tunes from the era that once more suggests Wright is right up there with Quentin Tarantino when it comes to sound-tracking his films and particular scenes, Soho has a lot to admire and for its first 30 to 40 minutes things rollick along at a great pace with a lot of intrigue in what's happening and what's around the corner but the film does get into a mid to late section funk that becomes both repetitive and a little too much to handle narrative wise. His first film narrative feature film since Baby Driver in 2017, Soho is undoubtedly a labor of love for Wright who produces his most un-Wright feeling film yet, that follows Thomasin McKenzie's country girl fashion designer to London, where her rental of a small bedroom apartment leads her to experience vivid and increasingly frightening visions into the life of a seemingly real London resident of the 60's named Sandie (a mesmerizing Anya Taylor-Joy) creating a very late 60's/70's feeling feature that struggles to keep itself on the rails as the runtime wears on. ![]() His conquered the living dead with nothing more than unwanted vinyl records, alien invaders in small country towns and even managed to wrangle baby drivers but there's no doubt Last Night in Soho is beloved British director and critical darling Edgar Wright's most ambitious film yet and a film that doesn't always reach the lofty goals it sets for itself even if its a beautifully shot and unique thriller mixed with horror elements. In short, Edgar Wright's latest is amongst his weakest. ![]() The film does impress in bits n pieces, especially with its neon-bathed visuals, meticulous production design & clever camerawork, but it doesn't amount to a lot in the end. Overall, Last Night in Soho is visually striking and has no trouble whatsoever in transporting its viewers to a bygone era but it also runs out of ideas as it nears its conclusion and settles for an insipid ending. Thomasin McKenzie & Anya Taylor-Joy contribute with splendid performances and are finely supported by the rest of the cast. ![]() Editing is inconsistent with the narrative flow & pacing while the music brims with 1960s flavours. The camera also exhibits restraint in its manoeuvring which is unusual for a Wright film but that doesn't mean it's lacking creativity, for it still packs some neat techniques & ingenious tricks. ![]() As for the script, the writing is substandard at best and required more polish. The horror elements don't pack a thrilling punch either, offering nothing new or effective. Co-written & directed by Edgar Wright (Scott Pilgrim & Baby Driver), the first hour is carried out rather well with steady build-up and deft juggling of drama & mystery but the story also falls flat once it enters the third & final act. Last Night in Soho attempts to capture the dangers of romanticising the past while showcasing the dark side of show business only to throw it all away in the end. From the writer-director of Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy comes a stylishly crafted, smartly photographed & skilfully acted psychological horror that's swirling with nostalgia & affection for the Swinging Sixties. ![]()
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