'The Last Showgirl' Review

Pamela Anderson has long faced criticism throughout her career, and a reflective, introspective role could be the ideal opportunity for her to showcase her acting skills. In Gia Coppola’s latest film, The Last Showgirl, the former Baywatch star makes a dazzling return, offering a performance that sparkles amidst a poignant and understated tribute to the overlooked performers of Las Vegas. After Mainstream and Palo Alto, Coppola shifts away from her usual ironic tone, opting for a more contemplative atmosphere. However, the film doesn’t quite achieve the powerful impact it aspires to.

'The Last Showgirl.'

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Anderson shines as Shelly, a Las Vegas Strip dancer draped in feathers and rhinestones, embodying a vibrant, electrifying presence. The film opens with Shelly lying about her age during an audition, and then takes us back a week earlier, where she learns from her kind-hearted producer Eddie (Dave Bautista) that Le Razzle Dazzle, the iconic show she’s fronted for 38 years, is closing its doors. Alongside a younger group of showgirls (including Kiernan Shipka and Brenda Song), Shelly faces the uncertainty of her future, contemplating a possible career change to a casino cocktail waitress like her long-time friend Annette (Jamie Lee Curtis, sporting striking white lipstick). As Shelly grapples with her next move, she leaves an emotional voicemail that prompts her daughter (Billie Lourd) to re-enter her life.

This marks the beginning of Shelly’s existential dilemma. Filmed with soft, dreamlike visuals and filled with glimmering costumes and lights, The Last Showgirl offers a subtle, almost hypnotic take on Las Vegas, distancing itself from the glitzy portrayals seen in films like Ocean’s Eleven or Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. However, Shelly is slowly awakening from this fantastical world, facing the harsh truths of life in Sin City. At 57, she struggles to find new work (a moment underscored by a cameo from Jason Schwartzman as a blunt audition director), and her strained relationship with her daughter, which was sacrificed for her career, comes to the forefront. Shelly faces a series of swift consequences, many of them tied to her gender.

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While Coppola’s exploration of themes such as aging, motherhood, and the unseen side of Las Vegas is captivating, the script would have benefitted from further refinement. Drawing inspiration from filmmakers like Sean Baker and John Cassavetes, the film occasionally falters with underdeveloped characters and awkward dialogue, leaving the standout performances of Anderson, Shipka, and Bautista feeling somewhat disconnected. Despite these flaws, The Last Showgirl offers an impressive platform for Anderson’s talents, and if there's any fairness, this marks the beginning of her full-fledged return to the limelight.