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For many people, Las Vegas is a place to escape from the boredom of everyday life and find a little bit of glamour and excitement—to be a different person for a while. But The Last Showgirl offers a very different look at the glitz and glamour of the Las Vegas lifestyle.
The Last Showgirl stars Pamela Anderson as Shelly, a Vegas showgirl who’s been the face of Le Razzle Dazzle for 30 years of its 38-year run. When stage manager Eddie (Dave Bautista) tells Shelly and the other performers that the show is closing, they all struggle to find their next gig. While younger girls audition for edgier shows, Shelly tries to figure out what could possibly be next for a 50-something showgirl. And, at the same time, she looks back on her life and the sacrifices she made for the career she loved.
While most movies about Las Vegas focus on the high rollers and the high-end entertainment, The Last Showgirl goes behind the scenes to show what real life is like for those who live and work in Sin City. The story offers so many different perspectives from different characters at different stages in their lives and their careers. Kiernan Shipka’s Jodie is a young dancer who left her home in search of the bright lights of Vegas, only to realize that there’s no going back. Brenda Song’s Mary-Anne is a cynical 30-something dancer who’s just in it for the paycheck. And Jamie Lee Curtis’s Annette is a dancer turned cocktail waitress who just can’t leave the Vegas lifestyle behind. The characters here are all likable in their own ways, but it’s the aging characters who truly leave their mark on the story.
As the city continues to change—with new shows and new, younger performers arriving every day—women like Shelly and Annette find themselves getting pushed out of the only life they’ve ever known as they reminisce about better days. It definitely makes for a melancholy film—a story about waking up from the dream and realizing how much it really cost. But it’s an often moving film with some stand-out performances from actresses who definitely know a thing or two about aging in a profession that celebrates youth and beauty.
Though it focuses on a group of Vegas showgirls, The Last Showgirl isn’t all flash and sparkle. It’s a rather stripped-down drama about the realities of life as a Vegas performer.
You can step out on stage with Shelly and the girls when The Last Showgirl arrives in theaters on January 10, 2025.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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