Gia Coppola’s THE LAST SHOWGIRL is an unflinching character study about a woman regretting how her career decisions negatively impacted her most important relationships. With an exciting performance from Pamela Anderson, gorgeous cinematography, and some pretty on-the-point soundtrack choices at the perfect moments, this film is one I anticipate will continue to garner buzz throughout the award season.
57-year-old Shelley (Anderson) has been putting on the wings and sequins as a showgirl in “Le Razzle Dazzle” since the 80s. It’s her home away from home, taking girls under her wing and being a trustworthy mother figure on and off the stage. But when Shelley finds out the show is going to close, leaving her without a job, she begins to reflect on the choices she made that got her to where she is now.
That all comes to a head when her quasi-estranged daughter Hannah (Billie Lourd) pays her a visit. Hannah has been living with another family outside of the state for years because Shelley realized she couldn’t remain in the show and also take care of Hannah the way she deserved. But with her career on the outs, Shelley is confronted with whether the show was worth losing out on valuable years with her daughter. And what is a showgirl supposed to do for income after the glitter fades?
The film’s cinematography is a warts-and-all love letter to Vegas. On one hand, there is a beautifully-shot rooftop scene that takes place at sunset. But on the other, Coppola is unafraid to showcase the less glamorous, grittier side of Las Vegas. Instead of the luxurious lit-up casinos, we are primarily shown the backroom of a grungy stage area that hasn’t seen a renovation since the 1980s. It’s weird seeing Vegas this way and in the daylight. At times, it seems cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw is recreating that bleary-eyed feeling you get when you come out of a casino and get clobbered by Vegas’s unrelenting daylight.
Some may say this is a role of a lifetime for Anderson, who gives an absolutely heartbreaking performance that is centered on unachieved dreams. Her character is a woman whose social worth was built solely around her looks and isn’t given the chance to do much more. Sound familiar? But I think the reality is no one has ever given Anderson the chance to carry a film with a meaty, character-driven storyline. There were many roles of a lifetime that passed Anderson by because Hollywood typecasted her as a ditzy blonde, with her job being “beach” instead of “serious actor.” She was never given the chance to showcase her acting chops, so while this may be a shock for audiences, I bet she knew she had it in her the whole time… she just needed the opportunity. And it’s not lost on me that that opportunity came in the form of a female filmmaker and screenwriter.
The gratitude for finally being seen by Hollywood was very apparent at the TIFF world premiere screening. You could feel the audience buzzing with excitement at seeing Anderson’s triumphant performance. To be honest, I was more emotional seeing how much this film meant to the cast than I have been seeing the most tear-jerking movies at the Festival so far. Jamie Lee Curtis, who gives a scene-stealing performance as Shelley’s best friend and former showgirl turned cocktail waitress, was especially moved. What really broke my heart was Anderson saying “It’s the first time I’ve ever read a good script,” at the post-screening Q&A. Here’s to many more.
My Review: B
