Gia Coppola's drama gives the pop-culture icon a chance to go deep as a Vegas showgirl taking her final bow. Whether it works is another story

There’s a scene in “The Last Showgirl ” where the namesake showgirl, Shelly ( Pamela Anderson ), auditions for a man whose voice we hear offstage. “Age?” he asks before the music starts. “Oh. A gentleman never asks a lady her age,” she says breathily with a nervous smile, then adds, “36? Sorry, I lied. I’m 42.”

Pamela Anderson delivers an acclaimed performance in Gia Coppola's "The Last Showgirl," challenging preconceptions of aging actresses.