Shadows on the Wall | The Last Showgirl

The Last Showgirl

dir Gia Coppola
scr Kate Gersten
prd Natalie Farrey, Gia Coppola, Robert Schwartzman
with Pamela Anderson, Jamie Lee Curtis, Dave Bautista, Kiernan Shipka, Brenda Song, Billie Lourd, Jason Schwartzman, Linda Montana, John Clofine, Giovani L DiCandilo, Gypsy Wood, Symone Bradley
release US 13.Dec.24,
UK 28.Feb.25
24/US 1h28

TORONTO FILM FEST

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An ode to the vintage days of Las Vegas razzle dazzle, this sparky drama follows the star of the last show of its kind before it closes for good. While the story is dark and thoughtful, director Gia Coppola keeps the tone remarkably light, floating on the title character's gently hopeful approach to life. She also captures the sunshiny weather in a city that's constantly reinventing itself.

Unwilling to admit her true age, veteran dancer Shelly (Anderson) continually reminds others that she's older but not old. Her best friend Annette (Curtis) has left dancing behind, but she still hangs out with younger dancers Jodie and Mary-Anne (Shipka and Song) and Shelly's stage manager ex Eddie (Bautista). Then Eddie announces that their show is closing after a 38-year run, and is set to be replaced by a dirty circus. So Shelly reaches out to her estranged daughter Hannah (Lourd), who struggles to make sense of her mother's career in this kind of show.

Cleverly shifting between everyday life and the faded glory of the glittery costumes, the film creates a lovely makeshift family among these women who have left their other lives behind and aren't willing to go back. Once the epitome of style and grace, traditional Las Vegas showgirls are no longer seen as glamorous. Being younger, Jodie immediately has other options, as tawdry as they may be. And the film is a reminder that glamour is a feeling that feeds our identity.

Anderson finds terrific layers as Shelly, who has given her life to her work and is tired of defending herself against people who see this as just a nudie show. So of course it's hard to imagine doing anything else. Meanwhile, the blowsy Annette is a scene-chomping role for Curtis that feels astonishingly real, especially her friendship with Shelly. She even gets her own iconic dance break. Shipka and Lourd have particularly strong moments too, while Bautista plays beautifully against type as the soft-spoken Eddie.

Punctuated with exterior shots that allow the characters to think and breathe, the film gets under the surface without being pushy. Coppola has a superbly understated way with storytelling, reminiscent of her aunt Sofia, allowing the viewer to find meaning as scenes resonate. This is a moving story about a woman who has refused to let society or men push her to do what they expected. She's never had any regrets, but is beginning to wonder if it was worth the fight.

themes, language 8.Dec.24

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