Posted in: Movies, Review | Tagged: billie lourd, Brenda Song, dave bautista, Gia Coppola, jamie lee curtis, Kate Gersten, Kiernan Shipka, oscars, Pam Anderson, Pamela Anderson, Roadside Attractions, the last showgirl

REVIEW: The Last Showgirl Sparkles With Realism & Stellar Acting

The Last Showgirl sparkles with stand-out performances from an all-star cast, a stellar story, and a peek at the reality behind the glamour.

The Last Showgirl shows a lot of promise just from the premise alone, and it delivers on it. It could have been executed in a more dynamic and energetic way at times, though overall, it's still a solid and intimate film. The style feels signature Coppola, lingering on intimate character moments with plenty of room to breathe, which makes sense as Gia Coppola is the director.

Pamela Anderson is Shelly, the aged-out showgirl who's been with the show since the 80s, and now that it's closing,g she has no idea what to do with her life as she's given up nearly everything else over the years for this show, the one thing that truly makes her happy and gives her purpose. She's stated in interviews that this script spoke to her, and she feels a connection with the character, and it shows. Her performance is not only believable and relatable but heartbreakingly genuine.

A way into the film, we're introduced to Shelly's daughter Hannah (Billie Lourd), who she tries to reconnect with but still can't understand why Shelly prioritized this show over being present in her life while raising her as a single parent, which naturally dredges up feelings now that Shelly has time to be a part of Hannah's life. With nothing else going on in life, Shelly turns to Hannah, who resents both the show and Shelly's stubborn devotion to a show that's seemingly done nothing for her in the end.

Dave Bautista gives a stand-out performance in the rare dramatic role as the stage manager/producer for "Le Razzle Dazzle." The physicality of his performance is subtle but effective: as a large man among a cast of small women mostly in female-driven spaces, he almost feels the need to shrink a bit so as not to take up more space he doesn't feel welcome in, especially in the "girls night" dinner scene. In contrast to the dinner date scene with just him and Shelly or work scenes where he is running the show, the shift is subtle but apparent.

Kiernan Shipka and Brenda Song are fantastic as Shelly's friends and fellow showgirls, representing both the young and middle career points for a dancer. The film is a reflection on the life cycle of a dancer and the hope (turned delusion in Shelly's case) necessary to function as a career showgirl or in any marquee resident show, for that matter. To some extent, this doesn't just stop at dancers but can apply to many facets of the female career experience, especially in entertainment.

One of the highlights, if not the best scene of the whole film, features Annette (Jamie Lee Curtis), Shelly's best friend and former showgirl turned cocktail waitress, performing an impromptu dance in the middle of the casino to Bonnie Tyler's Total Eclipse of the Heart. It's iconic and shows the sad reality of a woman who used to command the attention of a packed house being relegated to being ignored by the 3 am crowd at the nickel slots. The fact that it was done in one take and not choreographed at all speaks volumes to the professionalism and embodiment of the character from Curtis.

The Last Showgirl feels real, in the same way, The Florida Project does, especially in regards to the characters and personalities found in real Vegas resident shows. Tourist towns and entertainment-centric cities feel worlds different to residents in a way that people visiting for a weekend or even on a recurring vacation basis can't understand. The film captures the gritty, hopeless feeling of making a living and a life in these industries, especially with the mental gymnastics it takes to justify giving up so much of the life required to dedicate yourself to a show.

Having worked in live entertainment, including shows on the Vegas Strip, I know all of these people. I know the lifer who opened the show and won't ever leave and doesn't have the means to retire; the crew who've worked in the same theatre for a decade and seen shows come and go; the young replacements for those who've moved on with their lives – it's a life cycle that will keep going until it dies a slow, bitter death. The fact this is inspired by the last bastion of the revue shows to close (Jubilee, which shuttered in 2016) truly proves that art imitates life, and imitation is the finest form of flattery.

It critiques the industry and female careers regarding youth without beating you over the head with it, giving a hard look into what reality is for many. Where The Substance takes a similar message and wraps it in heavily stylized horror-coded Sci-fi, The Last Showgirl just holds a mirror up to reality and shows the products and consequences of the entertainment industry and society.

Like the revue shows, The Last Showgirl won't be everybody's cup of tea, but for those who care to see beyond the glossy rhinestone shine, this film sparkles in a spectacular way.

The Last Showgirl

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Review by Eden Arnold

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8/10

The Last Showgirl gives a critique on the entertainment industry and female career in regards to youth without beating you over the head with it, giving a hard look into what is and was reality for many. It won't be everybody's cup of tea, just like the revue shows, but for those who care to see beyond the glossy rhinestone shine, this film sparkles in a spectacular way. 

Credits

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Director

Gia Coppola

Writer

Kate Gersten

Based On

"Body of Work" by Kate Gersten

Starring

Pamela Anderson, Kiernan Shipka, Brenda Song, Billie Lourd, Dave Bautista, Jamie Lee Curtis

Distributor

Roadside Attractions

Release Date

December 13, 2024

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