So I came into this movie with seismic expectations, absolutely loving Baby Driver and having watched all of Edgar Wright's films (and a lot of his recommendations). And I was slightly disappointed, but only because he had a classic to follow up (Baby Driver).
So the movie starts out wonderfully, with a silhouetted Eloise dancing to a 60s tune, as the camera follows her and pans into a 60s bonanza of posters and memorabilia. It reminded me of the opening of Adventures in Babysitting, in which the lead female character likewise starts the movie off by dancing to a 60s upbeat tune. It made Eloise instantly quirky and likable, and it established her love for the 60s, in just a couple of minutes or so. Classic Edgar Wright. Then she is accepted into a fashion college, and moves out to London. She finds that the big city is not all that it's cracked up to be, as she's hit on by a creepy taxi driver, and is gossiped about by her roommate. So far, great seeping psychological tension created by Edgar Wright.
So then Eloise decides to move out and move into a Soho apartment to "escape." And that's when Wrightesque things get into full gear. An otherwise quiet beginning becomes loud with 60s music, bright with marquees and neon lights, and there is gorgeous cinematography, including a 360 panorama of 60s Soho, coordinated reflection shots of Eloise and Sandy, and impeccable transitions in the iconic dance scene. Beautiful, smooth, musical.
And then the movie shifts to its "message," and ghost story part which in it of itself isn't a bad thing. But when the ghost guys in tuxedos begin appearing around every corner, the message begins to become redundant, and the psychological aspect of the movie loses energy. Subtlety gives way to obvious symbols and even some questionable music choices (Always Something There to Remind me was a little on the nose). It's not that it ruins the film--it doesn't, as the two lead actresses do a fantastic job throughout the movie, and the soundtrack is consistently popping. It's just that the cgi ghosts drag the movie down, and undercut the otherwise disturbing tension that was created in the first third of the movie. And without spoiling it, the ending sort of cheats the audience, and reveals the plot to be more of a message and idea than a...well...a plot. But overall, Last Night in Soho is an immersive experience by Edgar Wright that crumbles a little bit when entering the ghost moral message segment of the movie.
So the movie starts out wonderfully, with a silhouetted Eloise dancing to a 60s tune, as the camera follows her and pans into a 60s bonanza of posters and memorabilia. It reminded me of the opening of Adventures in Babysitting, in which the lead female character likewise starts the movie off by dancing to a 60s upbeat tune. It made Eloise instantly quirky and likable, and it established her love for the 60s, in just a couple of minutes or so. Classic Edgar Wright. Then she is accepted into a fashion college, and moves out to London. She finds that the big city is not all that it's cracked up to be, as she's hit on by a creepy taxi driver, and is gossiped about by her roommate. So far, great seeping psychological tension created by Edgar Wright.
So then Eloise decides to move out and move into a Soho apartment to "escape." And that's when Wrightesque things get into full gear. An otherwise quiet beginning becomes loud with 60s music, bright with marquees and neon lights, and there is gorgeous cinematography, including a 360 panorama of 60s Soho, coordinated reflection shots of Eloise and Sandy, and impeccable transitions in the iconic dance scene. Beautiful, smooth, musical.
And then the movie shifts to its "message," and ghost story part which in it of itself isn't a bad thing. But when the ghost guys in tuxedos begin appearing around every corner, the message begins to become redundant, and the psychological aspect of the movie loses energy. Subtlety gives way to obvious symbols and even some questionable music choices (Always Something There to Remind me was a little on the nose). It's not that it ruins the film--it doesn't, as the two lead actresses do a fantastic job throughout the movie, and the soundtrack is consistently popping. It's just that the cgi ghosts drag the movie down, and undercut the otherwise disturbing tension that was created in the first third of the movie. And without spoiling it, the ending sort of cheats the audience, and reveals the plot to be more of a message and idea than a...well...a plot. But overall, Last Night in Soho is an immersive experience by Edgar Wright that crumbles a little bit when entering the ghost moral message segment of the movie.