The storyline of Gia Coppola’s The Last Showgirl revolves around Las Vegas show “Le Razzle Dazzle” — but for all of its rhinestones and feathers, it feels authentic. There are manic conversations about the increasing price of lemons between costume changes, backyard smokes, and a never-ending carousel of lights and dings. And whether the characters are bathed in natural or neon light, The Last Showgirl portrays them with a universality that’s so deeply human, you have to give the final bow to Coppola.
Pamela Anderson gives an intimate look into Shelly Gardner, whose 30-year run as the “Le Razzle Dazzle” Poster Girl is abruptly cut short when it’s announced the show will close in two weeks. Heartbreakingly desperate to hang onto the glamour of her youth, Shelly spends a majority of the film reflecting on “Le Razzle Dazzle.”
Surrounded by ripped fabric and empty dressing rooms, she glances into the mirror without really seeing. She lives in the past and cannot comprehend the present. She believes she was and remains an “ambassador for style and grace,” while her younger cohorts see the show as a “dinosaur.” In part, Shelly’s delusional outlook is supported by her best friend Annette (Jamie Lee Curtis) and show producer Eddie (Dave Bautista), who relive their glory days over a bottle of red and a pack of cigarettes.
Anderson flawlessly executes the messiness that is Shelly: she’s airy and aloof but has poignant moments of reflection too. And after pouring her life into one focus, it’s understandable why she feels so lost. She’s facing an uncertain future due to ageism and sexism, manmade concepts that are hard to combat in our modern world.
All of this is further accentuated by Coppola’s brilliant directorship: flashes of a lone fake eyelash in the sink, heels running up and down stairs that seem to lead to nowhere, and the fact that we never actually see “Le Razzle Dazzle” in full. We don’t know if it was worth it for Shelly to pour her life into this show — nor does her daughter (Billie Lourd) or the younger dancers (Kiernan Shipka, Brenda Song) who try to surround her with support but are shaken off.
While there are moments of cliché dialogue — like, “Doing a job you hate is scary when your calling is just out there!” — the words are so masterfully timed that you side with Shelly in her sentiments. They evoke thoughts of, “What are we doing here if we’re not consumed by our passion?”, quickly followed by, “But at what cost if we’re casting aside other things that matter too…or end up with nothing to show for it?”
Movie Times: Click Here
Genre: Drama
Director: Gia Coppola
Actors: Pamela Anderson, Dave Bautista, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kiernan Shipka, Brenda Song
Run Time: 89 min
Rating: R for Language and Nudity
