Last Night in Soho (2021)

Last updated:
September 6, 2025

Last Night in Soho is a stylish psychological horror-thriller directed by Edgar Wright. Known for his razor-sharp editing and kinetic visual style, Wright shifts gears here into a darker, more haunting story about obsession, nostalgia, and trauma lurking beneath the glamor of London’s swinging sixties.

Table of Contents

Detailed Summary

Introduction: Dreams of London

Eloise “Ellie” Turner (Thomasin McKenzie) is a shy fashion student from Cornwall who moves to London to pursue her dreams. She has a deep love for the 1960s, which she idealizes through her music, clothes, and worldview. But from the start, we learn Ellie is fragile: she lost her mother to suicide, and she sometimes sees her mother’s reflection in mirrors.

Moving into Soho

Uncomfortable with her loud and insensitive dorm mates, Ellie rents a room from an elderly landlady, Ms. Collins (Diana Rigg), in Soho. From the first night, Ellie begins experiencing strange, vivid dreams that transport her to the 1960s.

Meeting Sandie and Jack

In these dreams, Ellie becomes linked with a glamorous young woman named Sandie (Anya Taylor-Joy), who arrives in Soho with ambitions of becoming a singer. She meets a charming man named Jack (Matt Smith), who promises to help her break into the nightclub scene.

Ellie is mesmerized by Sandie’s world, adopting her hairstyles, clothes, and even designing dresses inspired by her. But soon, the dreams darken.

The Glamour Turns to Horror

Ellie realizes Jack isn’t Sandie’s savior—he’s her pimp. Instead of a dazzling career, Sandie is forced into sex work, manipulated by Jack, and used by countless men. Ellie, trapped in these visions, watches Sandie’s descent with horror.

The disturbing imagery begins to seep into Ellie’s waking life: ghostly men follow her, visions blur reality, and her school performance falters. Even her budding romance with John (Michael Ajao), a kind classmate, is tested by her unraveling mental state.

A Deadly Revelation

Ellie becomes convinced she has witnessed Sandie’s murder in her visions. She identifies Jack as the killer and tries to prove it, but her grasp on reality weakens. At one point, she believes she sees Jack as an older man—played by Terence Stamp—who seems to stalk her.

The tension explodes when Ellie visits Ms. Collins. There, she learns the shocking truth: Sandie was never murdered by Jack. Instead, Sandie killed Jack and the many men who exploited her, hiding their bodies within the walls and floors of the very house Ellie has been renting.

Ms. Collins reveals herself as Sandie—now much older, still living in the same house under an assumed name.

Movie Ending

Ms. Collins (Sandie) attempts to silence Ellie by drugging her tea. When John arrives to help Ellie, he is stabbed by Ms. Collins during a confrontation. In the chaos, Ms. Collins’ house catches fire, and the ghosts of the murdered men appear—not to torment Ellie, but to drag Ms. Collins into guilt and confrontation.

Sandie, overwhelmed by her crimes and consumed by shame, chooses to stay in the burning house rather than escape. She tells Ellie to go and live her life. Ellie barely survives and is later seen at her fashion show, showcasing her 1960s-inspired designs.

In the final scene, Ellie looks into a mirror and sees her late mother and Sandie’s younger self reflected back at her, suggesting that while she survived, the past will always remain a haunting presence.

Are There Post-Credits Scenes?

No, Last Night in Soho does not have any post-credits or mid-credits scenes. The movie ends with Ellie’s final reflection scene, and the credits roll without additional story content.

Type of Movie

The film is a psychological horror-thriller with elements of supernatural mystery and neo-noir. It combines Edgar Wright’s flair for stylish visuals with dark subject matter, creating a film that is both dazzling and disturbing.

Cast

Thomasin McKenzie as Eloise Turner
Anya Taylor-Joy as Sandie
Matt Smith as Jack
Diana Rigg as Ms. Collins / Older Sandie (her final film role)
Michael Ajao as John
Terence Stamp as the older man

Film Music and Composer

The film’s score was composed by Steven Price, blending eerie atmospherics with dramatic tension. But the soundtrack is equally vital—filled with 1960s hits like “Downtown” (performed by Anya Taylor-Joy in a haunting slowed-down rendition), The Kinks, Cilla Black, and Dusty Springfield. Music is a driving force of mood and identity in the film.

Filming Locations

The movie was filmed in London, primarily in the Soho district. Key filming locations include:

Fitzrovia and Soho streets, capturing both the vibrant nightlife and the darker back alleys.
Haymarket’s Empire Cinema, used in dream sequences.
Goodge Street and surrounding areas, to represent Ellie’s daily student life.

The authenticity of shooting in real Soho locations was crucial, as the film is deeply tied to the city’s cultural history and atmosphere.

Awards and Nominations

Nominated for two BAFTA Awards: Outstanding British Film and Best Sound.
Won several critics’ awards for its production design and cinematography.
Praised at the Venice International Film Festival where it premiered in 2021.

Behind the Scenes Insights

Edgar Wright developed the story after years of fascination with Soho’s history, including its glamorous façade and dark underbelly.
Diana Rigg, in her last role, brought a powerful gravitas; Wright dedicated the film to her after her passing.
Anya Taylor-Joy recorded her own vocals for “Downtown,” adding an eerie authenticity to Sandie’s character.
The ghostly men were created using practical effects combined with digital manipulation, giving them a dreamlike, uncanny presence.

Inspirations and References

The film draws heavily from:

1960s British cinema, particularly psychological thrillers like Repulsion (1965) and Don’t Look Now (1973).
Classic giallo films, which mix glamor with horror.
Wright’s own experiences walking through Soho and hearing stories about its nightlife and history.

Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes

While no drastically different alternate ending has been released, Edgar Wright has mentioned that earlier drafts played more with ambiguity—whether Ellie was truly seeing visions or losing her mind. The final cut leans more supernatural than psychological ambiguity.

Book Adaptations and Differences

The movie is not based on a book. It is an original screenplay written by Edgar Wright and Krysty Wilson-Cairns. However, it pays homage to numerous psychological horror novels and films of the 1960s.

Memorable Scenes and Quotes

Key Scenes

Ellie’s first dream walk through 1960s Soho, following Sandie into the Café de Paris nightclub.
Sandie’s haunting performance of “Downtown.”
The gradual decay of Sandie’s dreams, shown in disturbing rapid cuts of men in hotel rooms.
The shocking reveal that Ms. Collins is Sandie.

Iconic Quotes

Sandie: “You’re going to be my manager, right?”
Ms. Collins (Older Sandie): “They deserved it. Every last one of them.”
Ellie: “You can’t change the past, Sandie.”

Easter Eggs and Hidden Details

A neon sign saying “Thunderball” references the James Bond era of the 1960s.
Many of the supporting cast are veterans of 1960s British cinema, adding authenticity.
The mirror work (Ellie and Sandie moving in sync) was largely practical, with doubles and clever camera work instead of full CGI.

Trivia

Diana Rigg passed away shortly after filming; the movie is dedicated to her.
Edgar Wright originally intended Ellie to be older but rewrote the script after seeing Thomasin McKenzie in Leave No Trace.
The movie used actual vintage recordings of 1960s traffic and nightlife to add atmosphere.

Why Watch?

Last Night in Soho is a must-watch for fans of stylish thrillers, Edgar Wright enthusiasts, or anyone interested in films that merge nostalgia with psychological horror. It offers dazzling visuals, an incredible soundtrack, and a chilling reminder that the “good old days” often hide darker truths.

Last Night in Soho (2021)