THE LAST SHOWGIRL – Review by Loren King
Who would have thought that one of the most revelatory and moving movies about entertainment, women and aging would come courtesy of Pamela Anderson and director Gia Coppola? The Last Showgirl combines grit and glitz as it pulls back the curtain on a fading Las Vegas act called “Le Razzle Dazzle,” a “Follies”-like extravaganza (based on the Jubilee, the last show of its kind in Vegas that closed in 2016 after 35 years) featuring scantily clad chorus girls in giant headdresses.
Based on a script by Kate Gersten who adapted her play, it centers on Anderson’s Shelley, who’s been with the revue for three decades and who sees herself carrying the tradition of “Les Folies Bergere.” Shelley may be a bit delusional — the Vegas Strip is hardly Paris; and a show that glorifies T&A is questionable art — but Shelley’s dedication, professionalism and pure heart is endearing and even noble. It was an inspired choice to cast Anderson, revealing a depth few knew she had, in a role that mirrors its star — a smart and talented woman dismissed when no longer useful or treated as a joke when no longer young. When she gets the news that “Le Razzle Dazzle” is closing due to dwindling audiences and a style that’s long past its expiration date, Shelley faces the reality of losing both her livelihood and her sense of identity. Jamie Lee Curtis, in all her raw bite, is on hand as former showgirl Annette who now barely makes ends meet as a casino cocktail waitress and whose limited options serve as a glaring warning for Shelley.
“The Last Showgirl” is also a mother/daughter story, with Shelley’s college student daughter Hannah (Billie Lourd) showing up to question her mother’s life choices. Refreshingly, and poignantly, Shelley makes no apologies, despite being keenly aware of what those choices cost her.
With a visual and tonal melancholy that echoes John Cassavetes’ The Killing of a Chinese Bookie and Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler, Coppola turns The Last Showgirl into an elegy for entertainment past and for women who paid their dues and refuse to go gently.
