THE LAST SHOWGIRL would probably make a great double bill with DEATH OF A SALESMAN, in that they both explore the consequences of having superficial values. Pamela Anderson stars as Shelley, a veteran Las Vegas performer in a "boobs-and-feathers show." She's been a showgirl in a revue called "Razzle Dazzle" for 30 years, but "Razzle Dazzle" is now dated and no longer sells tickets. What's she going to do now that the show is closing? She's a mediocre dancer and her youth is gone. She has no practical skills to make a living. All she has lived for is the "glamour of show business." Her "marriage" was a failure, she was a terrible mother, her friendships were superficial. There is not much plot, but it's a brilliant character study. Despite the lack of a real plot, director Gia Coppola has given it a level of intensity that kept me rapt with attention for the film's 90-minute length. In the role of a selfish woman with trashy values, Ms. Anderson is quite believable, as are the dazzling supporting cast, which includes Kiernan Shipka (as a child actress, she played Don Draper's daughter on MAD MEN) and Brenda Song as young showgirl co-workers, Dave Bautista as the show's stage manager (and a previous lover), Billie Lourd, as her recently estranged daughter, and especially Jamie Lee Curtis as a former showgirl who is now a beat-up-looking cocktail waitress. This, to me is the best ensemble cast of a movie of the entire year. Kudos to all! Cinematography, music, and art direction are excellent. This film is certainly worth seeing because it raises a lot of questions about American values. I'd recommend it.
