Directed by: Gia Coppola
Starring: Pamela Anderson, Jamie Lee Curtis, Dave Bautista, Billie Lourd, Brenda Song
Shelly (Anderson) is a showgirl in a long time Vegas show which she learns is closing in two weeks. At 57 years old, what is she going to do with her career? She once auditioned for the Rockettes and other Broadway shows years ago, but she grew comfortable with the steady paycheck and being home every night. The show cost her the formative years with her daughter (Lourd) who now lives in Tucson and holds a grudge.
Shelly tries to be defiantly hopeful and keep a smile going, but she realizes her prospects are limited. She would likely join her best friend and former castmate Annette (Curtis) as a casino waitress, and doesn't like the idea of dealing with drunk gamblers who flirt and pay at her. One of the pitfalls the movie falls into more than once is having its characters stare out towards the horizon or do interpretive dance numbers while songs like Total Eclipse of the Heart play on the soundtrack. These are fillers and not much more. They don't contain much power.
The Last Showgirl is a hit and miss affair which is meant as a showcase for the talents we weren't aware Pamela Anderson has. Once we get past Anderson's baggage and settle into the character, we see Anderson play Shelly with depth and sweetness. We feel for her situation and we care about her, which shows that Anderson is no longer the Baywatch character, but a living, breathing human being who ages like all of us.
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