The Last Showgirl

Directed by Gia Coppola, The Last Showgirl follows Pamela Anderson’s Shelley as she prepares for the final run of the Las Vegas revue in which she’s been performing for more than 30 years. Filmmaker Coppola, armed with Kate Gersten’s screenplay, delivers a familiar yet compelling drama that benefits from Anderson’s naked, eye-opening performance, as the actress does a terrific job of stepping into the shoes of her likeable, insecure character to a degree that remains enthralling throughout – with Anderson’s top-notch turn certainly matched by engaging periphery players like Dave Bautista, Kiernan Shipka, and Jamie Lee Curtis. (The latter’s memorable efforts as Shelley’s best friend certainly remains an ongoing highlight within the proceedings, ultimately.) It’s equally clear, however, that The Last Showgirl is occasionally a little too aimless even by the standards of this sort of thing, although, having said that, Coppola does a nice job of peppering the spare narrative with scenes and sequences of a stirring, emotionally-affecting nature. (There is, for example, a seriously engrossing interlude detailing a heated confrontation between Shelley and her estranged daughter, Billie Lourd’s Hannah.) By the time the satisfying finale rolls around, The Last Showgirl has confirmed its place as a rewarding drama that succeeds best as a showcase for Anderson’s admittedly captivating work as the thoroughly sympathetic protagonist.

*** out of ****