Director: Gia Coppola
Writer: Kate Gersten
Stars: Pamela Anderson, Brenda Song, Kiernan Shipka
Synopsis: A seasoned showgirl must plan for her future when her show abruptly closes after a 30-year run.
American workers of a certain generation are accustomed to working for the same company for decades. What happens when the most stable thing in our lives is removed from us? Led by 30-year veteran, Shelly (Pamela Anderson), The Last Showgirl depicts the fallout of these characters after it is announced their show, “Razzle Dazzle,” is coming to an end. Shelly and several other showgirls will have to find new jobs for the first time in years.
The casting mirrors the plot, with varying degrees of “has-beens” playing participants in a dying Las Vegas show. Jamie Lee Curtis and Dave Bautista are far from “has-beens,” with the former winning an Academy Award just two years ago and the latter’s star rising with every surprising performance. However, they, and the rest of the cast, are known for very different things—Curtis the scream queen, Bautista the professional wrestling world champ. Song and Shipka are known more for their television roles as young actors, both trying to revamp their careers over the last couple of years. And, of course, Anderson is known by many, more for scandal than for her profession. These actors all have something to prove in their work, just as these dancers need to prove themselves again to get new jobs after the show ends.
The Last Showgirl purports itself to be a comeback vehicle for Pamela Anderson, but she’s unfortunately outdone at every turn by the rest of the cast. Curtis and Bautista are particularly stellar, with enough meat in their supporting roles to make something special. Bautista continues to impress with another thoughtful, heartfelt role that’s still surprising in each film. By no means does Anderson give us a poor offering here, but in each scene her character is forced into the background reacting to everyone else instead of being the driving force. This is the essence of Shelly’s life, reacting to things around her instead of happening to her life. With a runtime of under 100 minutes, her character would have been well served by a couple more scenes diving into her internalized thoughts.
The filmmaking from Coppola, Director of Photography Autumn Durald Arkapaw, and editors Blair McClendon and Cam McLaughlin is wonderful. The team utilizes intimate, close angles with handheld cameras to represent the chaos and closeness of the Razzle Dazzle team. The showgirls aren’t just coworkers, they’re a family. Shot on 16mm film, the movie has the texture of a bygone era. The grainy, glittery images make an ordinary kitchen look beautiful and romantic. The contrast between this beautiful imagery and the increasingly frantic showgirls is tragic, highlighting their plight.
As the younger girls (Song and Shipka) begin going out for other auditions, Shelly begins to show her true colors. Throughout the film it’s clear she’s becoming a bit more frazzled by the uncertainty on the horizon, but these scenes of jealous conflict reveal how bad it’s become. Shipka begins showing an audition routine to the girls in the changing room which is, admittedly, something you’re more likely to see at your favorite club right off the highway than at a classy show like Razzle Dazzle. Shelly becomes irate, not only because other girls are auditioning but also because they’re willing to stoop so low for work. Despite having the same job as them now, it’s clear that she views herself in a higher tier.
To make matters worse for Shelly, her daughter, played by an understated Billie Lourd, pays a visit for the first time in years. There’s clearly some tension between them that Shelly tries to mend, but her insecurities come off more desperate than genuine. Anderson channels these emotions and energy perfectly in the one-on-one scenes with Lourd, Bautista, and Curtis, but fades into the background when more people are involved.
The Last Showgirl sometimes feels like a dream but is ultimately a very realistic nightmare. Losing your job, losing your friends, trying to mend a broken relationship that’s clearly your fault. It’s hard to imagine enduring a stretch like that. Gia Coppola channels nostalgia and uncertainty in her filmmaking resulting in an emotional, if uneven, look at these Las Vegas showgirls.
The film releases wide on January 10th, 2025.
