Pamela Anderson is receiving the best reviews of her career for her part of a Shelly, an ageing Las Vegas showgirl who has to face up to her future when her show closes suddenly and unexpectedly.
The acting, across the board, is excellent, and Anderson rises to the occasion. Though, it was another actor that I have always dismissed before that really stood out, Dave Bautista who plays Eddie. He runs the show and used to be in a relationship with Shelly. Bautista is terrifically world weary and you can see his regret of his choices written on his face. Jamie Lee Curtis received a BAFTA nomination for her performance as Shelly’s best friend, but I found her less convincing than Anderson or Bautista. Billie Lourd appears briefly as Shelly’s daughter and their scenes work really well.
Having praised the performing, I cannot do the same with Gia Coppola’s direction. Striving for naturalism, her use of extreme close ups and out of focus shots felt a bit too self conscious. Kate Gersten’s script is patchy but there are some effective moments especially when she is addressing how older women are viewed in the entertainment industry and beyond.
Rating: 6.5 out of 10