Coming out of The Last Showgirl at TIFF 2024, I am regretting ever going in. This movie has been the talk of Toronto, and before I’d seen the film, I could totally understand why. Pamela Anderson makes her first acting appearance in ages, Dave Bautista is in a serious role, plus appearances by Jamie Lee Curtis, Kiernan Shipka, Brenda Song and even Jason Schwartzman. What could go wrong? Well, it turns out, a lot. A lot could go wrong.
The Last Showgirl begins with an extreme close-up of an aged Pamela Anderson as Shelly during an audition. The Las Vegas show Razzle Dazzle is closing after decades, and Shelly has been there since the 80s. She is a weathered showgirl, now hidden in the back, that has clung to her showgirl lifestyle at all costs, including over her own daughter. Shelly now needs to figure out how life goes on after show business as a woman past her prime—as far as the entertainment industry is concerned.
“There is a chance that The Last Showgirl could have been an interesting film if the lead wasn’t so dreadful to watch.”
Right away, Anderson’s performance is off-putting. Looking back, I am not sure why her return to the screen was such a thrill to the film industry. She is still playing the same flighty, high-pitched, Barbie-like character she always did. Actually, the new Barbie is less ditsy. There wasn’t a single moment that didn’t feel over-acted or insincere. There is a chance that The Last Showgirl could have been an interesting film if the lead wasn’t so dreadful to watch.
I say that, but then I look into The Last Showgirl a little deeper and realize the base of the story is something worth exploring. Following a woman that the world of entertainment, sex and Vegas leaves behind could be riveting. Instead, it is cheapened by a main character with no redeeming qualities, writing that feels unnatural to the characters and an attempt at artistic dance montages that are completely unnecessary.
The Last Showgirl is too busy trying to be a statement piece that it forgets all the parts that make a film a cohesive, compelling story. Blurred shots repeat throughout the film but feel like more of an error than a choice. Bautista’s lines feel like Drax from Guardians of the Galaxy, only he is aware that everyone in the room is annoyed by him, and there doesn’t seem to be a real reason for all the disdain.
Seeing Kiernan Shipka turn from innocent to cold on a dime is fun and the change from her sweet demeanour in younger roles, but her childlike interactions with Shelly feel far too young here and only distance viewers from the main character. Choices just don’t make sense. In the end, you never really like anyone in The Last Showgirl.
“The Last Showgirl is too busy trying to be a statement piece that it forgets all the parts that make a film a cohesive, compelling story.’
Brenda Song and Jamie Lee Curtis are by far the best parts of The Last Showgirl, but even Curtis’ cocktail waitress that never settled down wasn’t enough to make us want more. Another odd dance scene came from her and it was completely out of left field. I get that they were going for a moment of reminiscing, but it really doesn’t feel based in reality. Song’s attitude and comedic timing are great, but again, she is a character who cares about no one and nothing, leaving little to latch on to.
When it comes down to the basics, the performances are less than stellar, the script is awkward, and not on purpose, an attempt at artistic creativity cinematography is made and doesn’t land and absolutely no one was likable in the end. The Last Showgirl was a disaster from the moment Anderson started talking right until the credits rolled with very few redeeming qualities, making it a must-miss at TIFF 2024.
Check out more of CGMagazine’s TIFF 2024 coverage here throughout the festival.
