The Last Showgirl, Gia Coppola’s latest feature, was sadly absent from much of this year’s awards season. However, the newest film from the Coppola dynasty protégé finally arrives in UK cinemas this month. Written by Kate Gersten, the film soars as a vehicle for a mesmerising Pamela Anderson, who captivates throughout in this warmly intimate, gently emotional, and dazzlingly authentic modern classic.
Anderson stars as Shelly, a leading performer in the Las Vegas showgirl extravaganza Le Razzle Dazzle. As she navigates a strained relationship with her distant daughter, Hannah (Billie Lourd), and a complex dynamic with stage manager Eddie (Dave Bautista), Shelly is forced to find new direction when she learns that the show is coming to an imminent close.
Shot by DoP Autumn Durald Arkapaw with hazy authenticity, The Last Showgirl features free-held cameras that capture intimate close-ups of Anderson’s striking performance against the woozy, dreamlike canvas of Las Vegas—its glittering sheen masking a deeper reality. Coppola draws us into the buzzing dressing rooms of Le Razzle Dazzle, where frantic quick changes unfold, and Shelly passionately defends the low-budget show as the last bastion of the Parisian Lido cabaret tradition. Jacqueline Getty and Rainy Jacobs’s elegant costume design reflects Shelly’s understated wardrobe outside the show, contrasting beautifully with the glitter, feathers, and winged flamboyance of her on-stage persona.
Coppola explores Shelly’s journey through a fascinating lens: a woman wholly devoted to her craft, often at the expense of relationships with her family, as hinted at in mentions of a former husband and her fraught connection with Hannah. Yet, the film skilfully highlights the hypocrisy surrounding the idea that a woman can both pursue her dreams and maintain the ‘perfect’ family—Shelly is repeatedly confronted with the expectation of having to sacrifice one for the other.
Anderson is a revelation in the role. She radiates warmth and positivity, perfectly capturing Shelly’s adoration for her art—a woman enthralled by the glamour and elegance of performance—while also conveying the devastation of its imminent loss. Despite her own struggles, Shelly remains a pillar of support for those around her, particularly best friend Annette (a fantastic, perfectly utilised Jamie Lee Curtis) and the younger performers at Le Razzle Dazzle. Even as she faces unemployment and the collapse of her dreams, she prioritises others, embodying both resilience and heartbreak.
The Baywatch and V.I.P. star layers Shelly with a complex vulnerability that subtly breaks through her outward optimism and charm. As pressures mount—both personal and professional—her search for stability culminates in a sobering audition scene, featuring a cameo from Jason Schwartzman. Here, Shelly delivers a stunning performance of Pat Benatar’s Shadows of the Night, only to be met with crushingly ageist feedback from a dismissive director. Anderson’s raw and deeply felt response highlights the film’s poignant exploration of how women are too often discarded by an industry obsessed with youth and superficiality.
Pamela Anderson soars in The Last Showgirl, delivering a naturally compelling performance, while Gia Coppola crafts an intimate yet commanding portrait of a Las Vegas legend fighting to stay in the spotlight.
Follow Culture Fix on X, Blue Sky, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Spotify and Threads.