Best known for her role in the 1990s television drama Baywatch (and plenty of tabloid headlines of the time, as well), Pamela Anderson is having a resurgence of sorts. That's due in no small part to her personal act of protest against the patriarchy in the form of opting not to wear make-up.
She's also back in the conversation this year for her powerful performance (earning her much acclaim, including a Golden Globe nomination) in Gia Coppola's The Last Showgirl. Written by Kate Gerston, Anderson is Shelly, an aging showgirl in one of the last and longest running Vegas live shows who must face an uncertain future when the production announces its closing after a 30-year run.
The Last Showgirl is a welcome and ever-more-rare type of independent film finding mainstream success these days, a female-focused drama devoid of any gimmicks or special effects, a human drama that follows its protagonist on a difficult but all-to-relatable journey at a pivotal moment in her life. Shelly has been a dancer on the Vegas strip for decades, finding stability and sisterhood in the fast-paced show, two things that seem to be missing from her life off-stage.
Though surrounded by younger women in the cast, she manages to keep up with the quick costume changes an demanding choreography with a little help from her cast mates, including Jodie (Kiernan Shipka) and Mary-Ann (Brenda Song). She regales them with stories of what the show used to be like when it was still the hottest ticket on the strip, all the glitz and glamour of being a sought-after performer and appearing in ad campaigns and special events. The show is stage-managed by Eddie, played by Dave Bautista, who delivers a softer, more approachable character than audiences may be used to seeing him inhabit.
The cast is rounded out by an ever-impeccable, nearly unrecognizable Jamie-Lee Curtis as Annette, a now-retired showgirl who still remains close to Shelly and the rest of the cast. Off-stage, Shelly lives in a small house in the Vegas desert where she tries repeatedly to reconnect with her estranged daughter, Hannah (Billie Lourd), who is understandably distant from a mother who was incapable of raising her.
Grand-daughter to Francis Ford and niece to Sofia, Gia Coppola is a seasoned filmmaker in her own right, debuting with 2013's Palo Alto and keeping busy since then with short films, music videos and a couple of middling features in the early years of the Pandemic. She seems to have come into her own with The Last Showgirl, supported in no small part by Gerston's strong script and Anderson's remarkable performance. The film's unvarnished filming style and rough-around-the-edges feel give the film a sense of grit and grime that aligns well with the setting, a city of vice often seen as the underbelly of American culture and consumerism. It's evocative of the atmosphere created for films as moving and rooted in a sense of place as Nomadland or Minari, and is equally as emotionally intelligent as those acclaimed predecessors.
The Last Showgirl is in theaters beginning January 10.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider supporting Third Coast Review’s arts and culture coverage by making a donation. Choose the amount that works best for you, and know how much we appreciate your support!