It appears that 'Last Night in Soho' is too far out of Edgar Wright's comfort zone. I really quite enjoyed the story up until [spoiler]the stabbing[/spoiler] and, while I thought the entire movie was shot and edited really well and was fun to watch, the horror elements really felt like they were straight out of an episode of 'Doctor Who'...

This is another movie that appears to romanticise mental illness to the point where it can be used as a "super power", and it caused me some confusion in terms of narrative, in how the supernatural elements seem to be [spoiler]confirmed as really happening but that she's still unwell. So which is it? Is the dark energy of the home manifesting itself and reaching out to her or is she really just seeing things caused by some super sharp intuition, why do the male spirits follow her outside of the boundaries of supernatural logic (because she's actually really hallucinating?), why does she see her mother (is her energy following her or is it part of the inherited mental illness which was explained as causing her mother's death), why does she continue to see the other young woman at the end if it's only supernatural. It's disappointing that she never sought help for her mental state by the end.[/spoiler] It's all very inconsistent and left too unexplained for my liking. I also would have liked to see ANY [spoiler]"ghosts" of the women forced into sex work who were killed during those times (the older cop mentions that it makes sense the main character's mother is dead, implying that it was "normal" for women to be killed there too, so why not also show them as her "visions"?)[/spoiler]

Anyway, 'Last Night in Soho' is fine. It doesn't push any boundaries and is probably the most underwhelming Edgar Wright film yet. If you want some recommendations of horror films that pretend to romanticise mental illness but then remind you that no, it's a terrible thing to have that can so easily destroy you, then check out 'Saint Maude' and 'Censor'.

Full review: https://www.tinakakadelis.com/beyond-the-cinerama-dome/2021/12/28/for-a-dollar-name-a-woman-last-night-in-soho-review

The plot follows shy, ‘60s-aesthetic-loving Eloise (Thomasin McKenzie) as she leaves her small country home and heads to the big city of London to attend fashion school. After one bad night in the dorm, she decides to move into a room offered for rent by an older woman, Miss Collins (the late, great Diana Rigg). On her first night in the new room, Eloise dreams of Soho in the fabulous ’60s through the eyes of aspiring lounge singer Sandie (Anya Taylor-Joy). That first dream, in which a wide-eyed Eloise watches the confident Sandie secure an audition from Jack (Matt Smith), is a true marvel. The swapping between Eloise in her pajamas and Sandie in her flowy go-go dress as they twirl with Jack is a beautiful technical and choreographic achievement. The flawless re-creation of the flashy lights and neon signs of Soho in the ’60s deserves immense praise. Presented on its own, that first dream sequence is a delight.

I found that Last Night in Soho took its sweet time getting me hooked, but as the first act was coming to a close, I was locked in. The movie constantly had me thinking what was to come next, trying to decipher what was the connection between the main characters were and why this was happening. There were scenes in this film that really had me on the edge of my seat, and I have not had that experience in a long time. I did not know much coming into the film, so I expected Anya Taylor-Joy to be the lead, but I was pleasantly surprised at the power performance that Thomasin McKenzie delivered. She really displayed the full range of emotion, showing shades of a shy timid and unsure girl to being a powerful and confident mistress of the night. But not only did these dueling personalities take center stage, but her ability to capture the horror and terror her visions continued to bring on. It was an amazing and I will definitely be tuning in to more of her films. I found the plot to be very good, on the surface it is somewhat simplistic, but it is delivered very well with each piece of the puzzle slowly being hand delivered by Edgar Wright. But by the third act, the twists are predictable, and the ending does not deliver as much as I would have liked.

**Verdict:** _Excellent_

FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://www.msbreviews.com/movie-reviews/last-night-in-soho-spoiler-free-review

"Last Night in Soho is incredibly captivating throughout the entire runtime, but Edgar Wright's all-in in the insane third act is definitely going to generate a divisive response.

Story-wise, the compelling protagonists - brilliantly interpreted by Thomasin McKenzie and Anya Taylor-Joy - follow intriguing arcs holding unexpected revelations that ultimately make sense with the overall narrative. Stunning cinematography and production design come together to create a visually jaw-dropping 1960s London, which becomes an even more entertaining place to visit due to Steve Price's addictive music.

However, the last act feels a sudden hurry to tie every knot through overwhelming editing, hasty pacing, and careless transitions, which work against what the film had been until that point.

I commend Wright's commitment and extreme dedication to his vision, but the restraint shown previously should have also been part of the conclusion."

Rating: B+

Not a big fan of Edgar Wright compared to some (fine filmmaker but don't get excited when a project of his is announced; and to be fair, same really goes for Christopher Nolan as well lately), but this one does feature some good 1960s-era music and the performances from both Thomasin McKenzie and Anya Taylor-Joy (whom I am a big fan of) were great and some fun mind-twisting scenery and visuals, though in the end felt it was fine as whole. Worthy of a watch, though. **3.5/5**