From Jeremy Kibler

The Last Showgirl is like the anti-Showgirls. The similarities begin and end with being about a rhinestones-and-feathers showgirl trying to survive in Sin City. Written by Kate Gersten and directed by Gia Coppola (Palo Alto), this intimate snapshot of roads not taken and dreams getting redirected is more gentle and generous, not sleazy or exploitative (although we still love that Paul Verhoeven trashterpiece). With a revelatory, vanity-free Pamela Anderson as the titular “last showgirl,” the film ends up doubling as a meta reevaluation of a career with a sobering sadness.

Anderson truly bares her heart and soul in playing Shelly Gardner, a 57-year-old Vegas showgirl who has long been the face of Le Razzle Dazzle revue. To the younger dancers (including Kiernan Shipka and Brenda Song), she’s like a mother figure to them. But then the casino owners decide to close the old-hat show after a 38-year run for something new and sexier, all of the girls wonder what their futures hold, especially Shelly who gave up other parts of her life for this. Times have changed, but Shelly has not. 

If Barb Wire failed to make her a movie star, Pamela Anderson gets a second chance here with her emotionally naked and heartbreaking turn as Shelly. From the opening scene where Shelly auditions for a new show and can’t stop talking on stage, there’s clearly a human insecurity and vulnerability in the character, as well as in the performer, making us see much more than a breathy, busty blonde. Shelly is a manic, helium-voiced bundle of nerves, particularly in between costume changes at work, but she’s full of love and sincerity. She has an unabashed love and passion for her art, and to her, the long-running show is not just a tits-out spectacle. It’s what she’s clung to all these years, until being made to feel like an old maid or a dinosaur.

The rest of the ensemble feels like a family, not only as characters but as actors on set. A brazen, spray-tanned Jamie Lee Curtis creates a whole person out of the minimal screen-time she gets as ex-showgirl/cocktail waitress/bevertainer Annette, particularly in a solo dance to “Total Eclipse of the Heart.” Kiernan Shipka and Brenda Song flesh out their supporting roles economically as fellow dancers Jodie and Mary-Anne, who look up to Shelly as a maternal figure but also don’t want to end up like Shelly. Dave Bautista also confirms his status once more as a reliable character actor, tenderly playing Eddie, a kind-hearted stage manager who has always held a torch for Shelly. Lastly, Billie Lourd is emotionally true as Shelly’s semi-estranged daughter, even if that subplot gets wrapped up a little too neatly. 

In watching The Last Showgirl, it feels like lives have been lived well before Kate Gersten’s screenplay begins. The film has familiar story beats, for sure, but it’s made poignant by Coppola’s minimalist direction. She builds upon a milieu we think we know, blending a dreamlike aimlessness with real melancholy; Andrew Wyatt’s twinkly score and Autumn Durald Arkapaw’s hazy, naturalistic cinematography work in tandem to create an atmosphere that is somehow solitary and less than flashy. Miley Cyrus’ new song “Beautiful That Way” also ends the film on a hopeful but truthful grace note. 

Most importantly, it’s wonderful to see an actress like Pamela Anderson be afforded the role of a lifetime, allowing her to show the breadth of her capabilities and an untapped depth. The Last Showgirl should give her the respect she deserves, and hopefully Shelly won’t be the last character she gets to play. 

Rating: 3.5/5

The Last Showgirl hits theaters on December 13th, 2024 for one week only, following by a wider release on January 10th, 2024.

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