THE LAST SHOWGIRL

*CUT TO THE CHASE*

NOTE: This spoiler was submitted by Jeremy

The film opens with Shelly Gardner (Pamela Anderson) going to an audition. She seems nervous and lies about her age, but she gets ready to prepare a song-and-dance for the audition.

Shelly has worked as a showgirl in Las Vegas for Le Razzle Dazzle, a revue-style show, for the last 38 years. She has a close relationship with the much older former showgirl Annette (Jamie Lee Curtis), as well as two younger performers, Mary-Anne (Brenda Song) and Jodie (Kiernan Shipka) who look at Shelly like a mother figure. They are also shown to be close to the show’s DJ and producer, Eddie (Dave Bautista).

The ladies gather for a girls night, when Eddie shows up at Shelly’s house to deliver unfortunate news. Muffy, the owner of the casino where the show plays, has decided to close the show due to declining sales, with two weeks left before their last show and before it becomes a more modern, “sexier” show. The ladies are bummed out by the news, but none more so than Shelly.

Shelly has nothing to fall back on with the show closing. Annette, who works as a cocktail waitress, is also struggling due to her alcoholism and gambling habits. Jodie and Mary-Anne try to audition for the new show, as well as other shows, which Shelly writes off as too vulgar and focused on sex, while she believes Le Razzle Dazzle provides more of an artistic experience.

Shelly tries to reconnect with her estranged daughter Hannah (Billie Lourd). After leaving her an awkward voice message, Hannah visits Shelly at her house. They make some attempts at a reconciliation, even messing around in the kitchen for fun, though Hannah refers to Shelly by her name instead of “mom” and feels distant from her. Hannah is a photography student and has her own show, which Jodie is seen attending.

After a performance, Shelly is visited by Hannah in her dressing room since she saw the show. Hannah admits she found it to be a “stupid nudie show” that she feels Shelly prioritized over her growing up. They argue, and Hannah storms out. Before she leaves, Eddie runs into Hannah and wishes her well.

Jodie goes to Shelly’s house at night after she fails to get back in touch with her mother, since it is implied that Jodie’s family has disowned her as a result of being part of Le Razzle Dazzle. Shelly tells Jodie it is not a good time and effectively turns her away for help. When they return to the show, Jodie refuses to help Shelly out when she asks. When they are running towards the stage, Shelly’s costume gets caught in a doorframe, causing it to rip and she falls to the floor in tears.

Shelly later goes to dinner with Eddie. She expresses her concerns over her future, while Eddie says he will stay on as producer for the new show. Eddie lets it slip that he ran into Hannah, which upsets Shelly since it is revealed that Eddie is Hannah’s father, something that she doesn’t even know about. Shelly erupts into a rant in front of the restaurant towards Eddie over his absence in Hannah’s life, as well as not understanding the struggles that women like Shelly have to deal with.

Shelly hangs out with Annette, who breaks down telling her that she is behind on rent and is basically living out of her car and showering at the gym. Shelly agrees to let Annette stay with her.

Shelly goes to the audition (from the film’s opening) and starts to do a dance to “Shadows of the Night”, but the director (Jason Schwartzman) cuts her off early and says she is not what they are looking for. When Shelly questions him, stating her previous qualifications, the director tells her they are looking for someone younger and sexier. Shelly throws a fit before being escorted offstage. Mary-Anne, who was also at the audition, tries to comfort Shelly, but she blows up on her over how Le Razzle Dazzle was all she had. She goes to her dressing room at the casino and has a tearful meltdown. She is later consoled by Jodie and Mary-Anne.

Shelly makes another attempt to contact Hannah, apologizing to her for her failures as a mother. Le Razzle Dazzle comes to its final performance, with Shelly sharing a toast with the other girls. She tells Eddie that she is planning to attend Hannah’s graduation and try to make some changes to get better in life. During the show, it appears as though Hannah is in attendance (it is unclear since she seems to vanish and also calls Shelly “mom” for the first time) along with Eddie. Shelly smiles throughout the show as she earns her final applause.

Shelly Gardner is a veteran showgirl in Las Vegas, working at Le Razzle Dazzle for 38 years. She is friends with former showgirl Annette and is a mother figure to younger performers Jodie and Mary-Anne. When the show's DJ and producer Eddie informs the ladies that the show is ending due to declining ticket sales, Jodie and Mary-Anne look toward other prospects while Shelly worries for her future, fearing she has nothing to fall back on.

Shelly also tries to reconnect with her estranged daughter Hannah, who also happens to be Eddie's biological daughter. While it seems to be going well at first, Hannah confronts Shelly over prioritizing the show over her growing up. Shelly also strains her friendship with Jodie after turning her away for help when Jodie has problems in her own family.

Shelly tries to audition for another show, but after being told they are looking for someone younger and sexier, Shelly has a meltdown in her dressing room at Le Razzle Dazzle before Jodie and Mary-Anne go to comfort her.

Before the final show, Shelly plans to set things right with Hannah and to get her life back on track. Hannah appears to be in the audience (though it might also be in Shelly's mind that she is there) as Shelly has her last performance.