In “The Last Showgirl,” Pamela Anderson plays Shelly, the longest-running cast member in the longest-running retro spectacle in town. In her baubles, bangles and bright, shiny beads this workhorse has made a living in the (fictional) show,

Anderson plays an aging Vegas showgirl in the new movie from Gia Coppola. For so many reasons, it's a role only she could meaningfully deliver.

While Pamela Anderson gives a raw, poignant performance that’s likely the best of her career, ‘The Last Showgirl’ treads well-worn narrative ground.