• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
Anya Taylor-Joy and Matt Smith star in a scene from the movie "Last Night in Soho." The Catholic News Service classification is L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association rating is R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. (CNS photo/Parisa Taghizadeh, Focus Features)

Movie Review: ‘Last Night in Soho’

November 10, 2021
By John Mulderig
Catholic News Service
Filed Under: Feature, Movie & Television Reviews

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

NEW YORK (CNS) — It may have been author Peter De Vries rather than baseball great Yogi Berra who first observed that “nostalgia ain’t what it used to be.”

Whoever originated the quotation, it applies in spades to the initially upbeat but eventually menacing psychological thriller “Last Night in Soho” (Focus).

Although raised in rural Cornwall, aspiring dress designer Eloise (Thomasin McKenzie) is obsessed with the London of the swinging Sixties, based in part on memories shared with her by her deceased mom (Amieé Cassettari) and her affectionate grandmother, Peggy (Rita Tushingham). So Eloise is understandably thrilled by the news that she’s been accepted into a fashion school in the British capital.

Moving to the neighborhood of the title, Eloise — who is shown early on to have psychic powers — becomes even more immersed in her favorite era as she journeys back to it in a series of dreams. During these visions, she witnesses scenes in the life of Sandie (Anya Taylor-Joy), a would-be actress and singer of the time.

Sassy and self-confident, Sandie is everything socially awkward Eloise is not. And her career as a performer gets off to an apparently promising start as she gains the backing — and romantic interest — of suave talent manager Jack (Matt Smith). But Jack, it turns out, is not at all what he seems, and Sandie’s existence rapidly degenerates into the stuff of squalid nightmares.

Haunted by what she is seeing, but powerless to intervene, Eloise becomes a neurotic mess. Her erratic daytime behavior draws the disdain of one classmate, obnoxious Jocasta (Synnove Karlsen), the sympathy of another, kindly John (Michael Ajao), who would like to make Eloise his girlfriend, and the ire of her elderly landlady, Ms. Collins (Diana Rigg).

The script, penned by director Edgar Wright and Krysty Wilson-Cairns, shifts gears along with the narrative as its initially sunny tone first intensifies, then becomes feverish as it reaches a gory, mayhem-ridden conclusion. Thus, while the movie sustains viewer interest, the appropriate makeup of its audience quickly shrinks, ultimately embracing only those grown-ups with a high tolerance for rugged material.

The film contains much harsh bloody violence, fleeting but strong sexual content, including glimpses of aberrant behavior and full nudity as well as a premarital bedroom scene, vengeance and prostitution themes, drug use, a few instances of profanity, at least one milder oath and considerable rough and crude language. The Catholic News Service classification is L — limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.    


Also See

Fox Nation announces second season for ‘Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints’

Home viewing roundup: What’s available to stream and what’s on horizon

Movie Review: ‘The Phoenician Scheme’

Television Review: ‘Patience,’ June 15, and streaming, PBS

Home viewing roundup: What’s available to stream and what’s on horizon

Movie Review: ‘How to Train Your Dragon’

Copyright © 2021 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

Print Print

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Primary Sidebar

John Mulderig

View all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • Pope Leo to return to practice of ‘imposing’ pallium on new archbishops

  • Prodigal son to priest

  • Archbishop Lori announces appointments, including pastor and associate pastor assignments

  • Pope’s brother says even as a baby, future pontiff had a spiritual ‘air’ about him

  • Diversity is cause for strength, not division, pope tells Rome clergy

| CURRENT EDITION |

| Vatican News |

Pope: Resist the ‘temptation’ of embracing weapons

Jesus invites Christians to overcome despair, pope says

A month after his election, most U.S. Catholics view Pope Leo XIV favorably

A cry for unity

Pope asks Italian bishops to proclaim the Gospel, teach peace

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

| Movie & Television Reviews |

Fox Nation announces second season for ‘Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints’

Home viewing roundup: What’s available to stream and what’s on horizon

Movie Review: ‘The Phoenician Scheme’

Television Review: ‘Patience,’ June 15, and streaming, PBS

Home viewing roundup: What’s available to stream and what’s on horizon

| En español |

‘No tengan miedo de hacer lo que El Señor quiere para nosotros’

Dios quiere ayudar a las personas a descubrir su valor y dignidad, dice el Papa

El ‘Padre Migrante’ nos relata su vida sirviendo a comunidades inmigrantes

El ‘Obispo Bruce’ forjó fuertes lazos con Baltimore en tiempos difíciles y tenía corazón de pastor

El Papa León comienza su pontificado pidiendo una ‘Iglesia unida’ en un mundo herido

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Former Catholic high school counselor sentenced for abusing teen student
  • Supreme Court upholds Tennessee’s gender transition ban for minors
  • Cuban bishops urge leaders to address nation’s economic crisis
  • For 3-year National Eucharistic Revival, the end is the beginning
  • Experts provide tools for ministries to support immigrants affected by incarceration
  • British Parliament ‘effectively decriminalizes’ abortion up to birth
  • Expert: Religious show courage helping others, fear standing up for self
  • Knights of Columbus announces June 19 novena for intention of Pope Leo
  • Pope: Resist the ‘temptation’ of embracing weapons

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

en Englishes Spanish
en en