‘The Last Showgirl’ forces a woman to confront her choices when she’s fired from a job to which she dedicated her life.
Bob Dylan wrote and sang, “The Times They are A-Changin’,” 60 years ago, but the sentiment remains true today. Out with the old, in with the new is the motto of the technological revolution, but the turnaround time is getting shorter each interval and more often than not, the old isn’t even broken — it’s just no longer good enough. Unfortunately, this has also applied to the human workforce as youth is valued over experience in many industries, which makes having to start over increasingly difficult. The Last Showgirl is about a woman figuring out her life after discovering her lifelong career is coming to an end.
Shelley (Pamela Anderson) joined the Razzle Dazzle showcase in the 1980s and has been a showgirl her entire adult life. Her best friend, Annette (Jamie Lee Curtis), moved on to cocktail waitressing a few years ago, but she can’t let it go. Shelley regularly tries to impart the importance of the show to the younger girls, boasting about its Parisian roots and Vegas legacy, but Jodie (Kiernan Shipka) and Marianne (Brenda Song) just see a job. After dismal audience numbers, the stage manager (Dave Bautista) reluctantly announces the owners have decided to cancel Razzle Dazzle and focus entirely on its new circus act, putting all the girls out of work. In the midst of this crisis, Shelley reaches out to her 22-year-old daughter, Hannah (Billie Lourd), who has her own feelings about her mother’s career choice.
While creatives cannot be replaced, the types of art that is popular or lucrative at any time changes like the tides. Tastes, attention spans, trends, controversy and more can affect the flavour of the moment. The unfortunate part of this is the people behind this work suffer when their niche is on the downturn. Razzle Dazzle was the last showgirl spectacle on the strip, representing the glitz and glamour of old Vegas with its glitter, feathers and exposed breasts (not that any are actually shown in this picture). Shelley clings to the show’s history, using her contributions to its prime as justification for her life decisions, which those around her frequently question – after all, who still wants to be a showgirl in her 50s?
Director Gia Coppola presents an intimate portrait of a woman who made unconventional choices, whether as a dancer or mother, and is now forced to reflect on their outcomes. At 85 minutes, it’s a relatively short film, yet it doesn’t rush through Shelley’s journey. It begins by showing the camaraderie between the girls who support each other on and off stage, though that solidarity is put to the test following the cancellation of the show. It’s evident Shelley believes she’s a skilled dancer that can hold her own on any stage, practicing classic movements and choreographing a sophisticated routine, but others have their doubts. As her world unravels, so does Shelley. The narrative spiral is slow, but it matches Shelley’s winding path from initial despair to eventual acceptance.
Anderson hung up her bathing suit long ago, but she predictably expresses some insight into this character whose looks launched her career and is now struggling to redefine herself when that’s no longer reliable. Though her screen time is limited, Curtis is phenomenal as the outspoken friend and gambling addict who feigns control over her habit. Her spontaneous, unsolicited, sullen yet seductive dance to “Total Eclipse of the Heart” is probably the picture’s most memorable and moving scene — and could earn her an awards nomination. Bautista delivers a surprisingly dramatic turn as the guy who directs the girls in every stage of undress, while remaining respectful at all times. He’s not a great talker, but wears his heart on his sleeve.
The Last Showgirl had its world premiere in the Special Presentations programme at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Read other reviews from the festival.
Director: Gia Coppola
Starring: Pamela Anderson, Dave Bautista and John Clofine
