Directed by: Gia Coppola
Distributed by: Roadside Attractions
Written by Jeff Sparks
65/100
“Hard. That’s the dumbest thing anybody told anybody about their dream” Pamela Anderson’s Shelly tells her daughter halfway through Gia Coppola’s “The Last Showgirl.” When the production she’s performed in for the past thirty years sets its final date, Shelly and her fellow dancers begin reflecting on the past while the uncertainty of the future looms. For others, like Brenda Song’s Mary-Anne, the next step is simply to find another place to work but it’s not as easy for Shelly, who dedicated most of her life to the show, even living a state away from her daughter, to continue performing at the venue she’s always been at. The show, which we only see once, is a classic Vegas production you would see in the backroom of a casino. It’s implied that not only does no one care about its vintage presentation anymore, but it may not be as elegant as Shelly claims it to be. On its surface, the film appears to be a slice of life, but it operates as more of a character study, leaving any presented ideas or storylines directly outside of Shelly in the dust. One such example sees Kiernan Shipka’s Jodie reaching out to Shelly while in distress over the gravity of the choices she’s made. Her panicked search for advice is likely something Shelly felt earlier in her life as well. Instead of seeing any further action between the two, the film literally has Shelly close the door on her, refusing to delve any deeper into this interaction.
Despite having a cast full of well-known actors, “The Last Showgirl” feels decidedly indie. Its handheld camera work is much like the rest of the film in the sense that it has great moments but often feels subdued. The scattered shots of Shelly roaming around under the bright lights of Las Vegas offer a nice change of scenery than the usual interior sets that make up a large chunk of the runtime. When we’re in the dressing room or Shelly’s home, the camera is placed so close to the actors that it’s as if they’re confined to the four borders of the screen, and there isn’t a world that exists beyond them. With an interesting yet restrained story that doesn’t delve deep enough into its characters or the world around them, “The Last Showgirl” lacks any significant staying power in its quick 88 minutes only contributes to the feeling that there isn’t as much here as there could be.
“The Last Showgirl” Trailer
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