If the major complaint you hear is of slight noise at ISO settings above 100, I don't think you should worry too much. A 16:9 ratio is something you can't get from other cameras, while the slightly higher noise is judged by some very picky reviewers. I think the 16:9 ratio is a big plus while the noise complaint is a small negative.
And besides, my Canon SD300 or 400 camera isn't so great with noise during night shots either (It's a slightly older IXUS model, 4 or 5 MP version, so I forget what the North American name for it is) , but hey......it's a small point and shoot, and the convenience offered by its small size more than makes up for the noisy photos I may take on rare occasions.
Look at this:
PBASE I don't think the LX2 photos at night look all that bad at ISO 200, and this is with noise reduction and everything else turned off. If you set it a bit lower than normal/standard, I think the photos can be very usable, even at ISO 400. At ISO 800, don't bother.
If I were buying a new p&s camera right now, I'd consider this Panasonic LX2, a Nikon 8400 (I think. I'd want the one with the 24 mm lens) or the Kodak V710 Dual lens model (a 23 mm fixed lens, but I'd have to see more example photos in low light for me to choose this one). I have a DSLR for that sort of photography anyhow. I use my p&s when out with friends and when it's not convenient to bring a DSLR. I understand the tradeoffs and I just put up with them. It's fine.
