By John Corrado

The 2024 Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 5th to 15th, more information on tickets and showtimes can be found right here.

In her latest film The Last Showgirl, director Gia Coppola (granddaughter of Francis Ford Coppola) gives a starring role to model and actress Pamela Anderson, fittingly casting her as an exotic dancer in Las Vegas trying to reclaim her fading glory.

Anderson stars as Shelley, who isn’t ready to accept that, at 57, her career as a dancer may be coming to a close. Which leaves her in shock when stage manager and longtime friend Eddie (Dave Bautista, who is showing a softer, more sensitive side) announces that the show she has danced in for thirty years is shutting down in a few weeks. The screenplay by Kate Gersten follows Shelley as she searches for another opportunity, while trying to reconnect with her estranged daughter (Billie Lourd).

The film that The Last Showgirl will be most closely (and obviously) compared to is Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler, with its story of a fading star and plum leading role for an actor in search of a dramatic comeback. But it lacks the raw, gritty power of that film; the script does exactly what you expect with its story of a washed up performer, which leaves the 85 minute film itself feeling a bit slight.

While it’s a predictable story of a performer realizing their time has passed, some of the best scenes in Coppola’s film are when Shelley is simply hanging out with her best friend Annette (Jamie Lee Curtis), a cocktail waitress who works at the casino during the day so she can drink and gamble herself at night. They have formed a surrogate family unit with two younger performers (Kiernan Shipka and Brenda Song) that have come under their wings.

The film features fine direction from Coppola, who captures the hazy feel of Las Vegas with the help of cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw, and utilizes some key song choices. It’s carried by good performances from Anderson, Curtis and Bautista, who all share a lived-in chemistry together. But it’s another member of the cast who gets the best moment in the film, shared with Anderson while she is onstage, and being made to painfully realize that, in the eyes of many, her time has passed. It’s familiar stuff, but a decent little indie drama overall.

Film Rating: ★★½ (out of 4)

Public Screenings: Friday, September 6th, 3:00 PM at Princess of Wales; Sunday, September 8th, 2:45 PM at Scotiabank Theatre; Friday, September 13th, 6:45 PM at Scotiabank Theatre; Saturday, September 14th, 7:00 PM at Scotiabank Theatre