The Last Showgirl

Rating 7/10

Professional showgirl Shelly Gardner (Pamela Anderson) faces an uncertain future after spending 38 years in the same Las Vegas revue. Le Razzle Dazzle is the last of its kind. The feather-and-rhinestone burlesque is abruptly shut down to make way for a modernized replacement. With no backup plan, Shelly struggles to find another job while still relying on her beauty. Screenwriter Kate Gersten (TV’s The Good Place) was inspired by the long-running Jubilee! show in Las Vegas shortly before its closure in 2016.

So director Gia Coppola always wanted Pamela Anderson to star after seeing the 2023 documentary, Pamela, a Love Story. But it almost didn’t happen. The initial attempt hit a snag when Anderson’s then-agent declined the script without her knowledge. Undeterred, Coppola reached out through mutual friends to Anderson’s son, Brandon, who ensured the screenplay made it to his mother. The actress was captivated by the part and embraced the opportunity to play a character markedly different from previous roles.

Shelly is dealing with a lot. Work has always defined her identity, and now that’s going away. Shelly also attempts to salvage a relationship with estranged daughter Hannah (Billie Lourd). She leans on her closest friends for support. Annette (Jamie Lee Curtis) is a former showgirl and Shelley’s sassy best friend. Mary-Anne (Brenda Song) and Jodie (Kiernan Shipka) are two younger dancers who see Shelly as a mentor but are prepared to move on. Eddie (Dave Bautista), the show’s DJ and producer, is her supportive boss who harbors a secret.

Pamela Anderson delivers a down-to-earth portrayal of a Las Vegas showgirl confronting the end of a nearly four-decade career. Anderson’s performance is full of heart, reflecting a deep understanding of a performer trying to figure out what she will do next. The depiction of this woman’s inner turmoil as her glamour fades is so natural that it feels effortless.

Jamie Lee Curtis also shines in a supporting role as Annette, who is now battling financial troubles as a waitress at a Las Vegas casino. A spontaneous dance in the middle of her shift is a memorable display. It was allegedly improvised by Curtis and captured in a single take. Annette’s resilience comes through, but the awkward scene also speaks to the haphazard shooting style. Principal photography was done over an 18-day shoot. Coppola and cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw utilized handheld 16mm cameras to capture the raw, grainy essence of this world. The method lends an intimate, documentary-like feel to the account.

The Last Showgirl is a tender exploration of a woman aging out of her profession. Women grappling with a desire to stay youthful has been a hot topic as of late. Demi Moore plays a fitness guru who uses a mysterious drug to regain youth in The Substance, and in Babygirl, Nicole Kidman portrays a high-powered CEO who pursues a much younger intern. The Last Showgirl isn’t the best, but it’s the most deeply human of the bunch.

This is a slender wisp of a tale. There isn’t much plot and little changes—Shelly remains, at her core, the same person from beginning to end. Yet, the film’s strength lies in its quiet, observational approach, allowing the weight of small, everyday moments to land. It doesn’t exaggerate the struggle or rely on saccharine sentiment for cheap emotion. Instead, the narrative is content to focus on Shelly’s humanity with restraint. The camera drifts through an unadorned existence, capturing the melancholy of a life in transition as the spotlight dims. This understated storytelling makes for a poignant meditation.

01-08-25