The Last Showgirl–Las Vegas or Bust?
The Last Showgirl (2024) opens with the once-popular Las Vegas Razzle Dazzle show struggling to remain in business. Shelly Gardner (the Academy Award nominated Pamela Anderson of “Baywatch”) still has delusions that the Razzle Dazzle, where she has danced for over thirty years, will survive. This delusion is due to a simulation of French cancan costuming, which she believes is classic and refined. Now an aging 57-year-old showgirl, her prime is long over. Somewhat of a mother figure and mentor to much younger dancers Mary-Anne (Brenda Song) and Jodie (Kiernan Shipka), Shelly herself is mentored by her 70-something friend Annette (Jamie Lee Curtis). Annette was “put out to pasture” years before and now barely pays her rent as a cocktail waitress, gambling she will win a luxurious future.
Shelly has made many difficult, messy choices. She gave her toddler daughter, Hannah (Billie Lourd), to another family so she could pursue her career as a dancer on the Las Vegas Strip. Now regretting that decision which has caused an irreparable estrangement from Hannah, she tries to reconcile with her daughter who is now about to graduate from college.
Dreaming of her past glory days, Shelly diligently practices ballet positions late at night in her small apartment. Somewhat defiant about the rise of burlesque as low-class and unacceptable employment for “real” dancers like her, Shelly takes pride in her profession and invites Hannah to see her perform. Her daughter’s reaction is not what she expected.
Great performance by Pamela Anderson, evoking a poignant portrayal of aging women in the entertainment industry and the humiliating decline in employment options as beauty fades. The role was made for this actor, previously defined as a “babe” on the popular television series “Baywatch”. And Jamie Lee Curtis (SAG and BAFTA nominee for this role) continues to outshine all others in scenes in which her formidable power exudes through the screen. The supporting cast is astounding and some images will be unforgettable for the viewer. Bravo!!
Availability: Hulu