Glittering rhinestones, towering feather headpieces, and the clicking of high heels under the lights on the Las Vegas Strip set the stage for Gia Coppola’s The Last Showgirl. As aesthetically tantalizing as it is bleak, The Last Showgirl follows Shelly (Pamela Anderson), an older dancer who dedicated more than 30 years of her life to the old-school revue “Razzle Dazzle.” Addicted to the spotlight, it quickly becomes clear that everything else in Shelly’s life takes second place, including a very strained relationship with her daughter, Hannah (Billie Lourd).
As is often the case with show business, it’s out with the old and in with the new. Shelly’s purpose in life comes to a screeching halt with an announcement that the struggling Razzle Dazzle will end. This halt is seen throughout the film on multiple occasions when Shelly’s wings in the performance continuously get caught and torn on a door close to the stage. In a time when shows called “Hedonist Paradise” sell, the dazzle doesn’t shine quite as bright with the once iconic, classic showgirl performances. The Last Showgirl finds Shelly and her fellow performers coming to grips with the show’s ending while trying to figure out the next steps.
Performances are strong here, yet the depth of the story leaves something to be desired. Anderson’s Shelly is instantly endearing from the first scene, leaning into her delusions of grandeur, yet with a vulnerability that simmers just beneath the surface. Jamie Lee Curtis steals the spotlight in her scenes as Annette, a former dancer in the show who now works in one of the casinos. Kiernan Shipka’s Jodie is the youngest in the group, and her naiveté is a standout, even compared to Shelly. While these performances are all compelling, they scratch the surface. Powerful moments give a bit more insight, but still feel underdeveloped. Perhaps keeping things more surface level was intentional to illustrate the false glamour of the showgirl life, yet this is a simple story, and more character development could’ve enhanced this film. A deeper look at Shelly and Annette’s friendship, the dynamic between Shelly and the younger dancers who looked at her as more of a mother figure, and the dissolution of Shelly and Hannah’s relationship would’ve been interesting to explore further.
Visually The Last Showgirl is stunning. It balances the glitz, glamour, and shimmering lights of the Razzle Dazzle, with the grey and desolate reality off-stage. Shelly is often found in moments alone, dancing with her headphones on, twirling through life in a time of the past while the modern world moves around her.
Overall, this film was enjoyable to watch and while the Razzle Dazzle might have been past its prime, The Last Showgirl leaves you wanting more.
The Last Showgirl
2025
dir. Gia Coppola
88 min.
Opens Friday, 1/10 @ West Newton Cinema & AMC Boston Common
