Showgirls

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Showgirls

NC-17

Released Sep 22, 1995

2h 11m

Drama

LGBTQ+

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

23%

Tomatometer

79 Reviews

38%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

Nomi (Elizabeth Berkley) arrives in Las Vegas with only a suitcase and a dream of becoming a top showgirl. She quickly befriends Molly (Gina Ravera), who works at the high-profile Stardust Hotel, and lands a job at a seedy strip club. A chance meeting with Cristal (Gina Gershon), the Stardust's marquee dancer, and her powerful boyfriend, Zack (Kyle MacLachlan), brings Nomi one step closer to realizing her dream. But, as she ascends to the top, Nomi begins to wonder if it's all worth it.

Critics Consensus

Vile, contemptible, garish, and misogynistic -- and that might just be exactly Showgirls' point.

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Judy Gerstel

Toronto Star

The filmmakers rub our noses in the whole sordid sex thing we love to hate and hate to love, no doubt laughing at us the entire time, all the way to the bank.

Rated: 1/5

Mar 27, 2024

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Joe Pollack

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Whatever Eszterhas and director Paul Verhoeven may say about going behind the scenes in Vegas, they have made a film to highlight little more than prurient interest.

Mar 27, 2024

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Mike Floyd

Detroit Free Press

Dirty, crude, often tasteless and at times downright nasty, Showgirls is also a gripping and uncompromising look behind the Vegas glitz.

Rated: 2/4

Mar 27, 2024

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Sam Moore

Vague Visages

Whether or not anyone thinks that it succeeds as a satire of the male gaze and objectification, it relishes in the trashiness of the surfaces it may or may not want to critique...the camp glory of Showgirls, however, comes from those very surfaces.

Jun 5, 2024

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Gary Wolcott

Tri-City Herald

Really, Paul? Plain and simple. Showgirls is pornography. In his hands, and those of screenwriter Joe Eszterhas, it might be better labeled poor nography.

Rated: 1/5

Mar 29, 2024

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Todd James

Vue Weekly (Edmonton, Alberta)

Clothing is not an option in Showgirls and after about 20 minutes of this slop, you'll be begging for someone to please put something on, take some acting lessons, and try to say one thing intelligent. Showgirls is bad almost beyond belief.

Rated: 0/5

Mar 29, 2024

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Rich J

I think 3 is a little high but 2.5 a little low, so 2.75 is about right. This could have been a very good expose about the sordid backstory but IMHO went for shock with nudity and near nudity instead. Elizabeth Berkley deserved a better movie than this.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/27/25

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Buzz C

Nomi Malone is my life! I'm a huge fan of this masterpiece! Elizabeth Berkley brought Nomi Malone to life in this iconic performance. It's aged lime fine wine and it only gets better as time passes! IT DOESN'T SUCK!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/15/25

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Shioka O

It's so terrible so good. I agree that it's a cult classic... somewhat keep you from screen. Worth wasting time.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/16/25

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Stephen C

Rated NC-17, but a classic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/28/24

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Aleksander S

Worth watching for the unintentionally hilarious lead and the pool scene.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

12/17/24

Full Review

Audience Member

I have always loved this film. Over the years it has built up this huge cult following and probaly quite justified. Elisabeth Elizabeth Berkley performace is unique, only she alone could pull of another one of Verhoeven’s hapless heroine with such vigor. Some people think showgirls is so bad it’s good. I disagree. It’s simple great!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

12/13/24

Full Review

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Paul Verhoeven

Director

Elizabeth Berkley Lauren

Nomi Malone

Kyle MacLachlan

Zack Carey

Gina Gershon

Cristal Connors

Glenn Plummer

James Smith

Robert Davi

Al Torres

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74%

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Synopsis

Nomi (Elizabeth Berkley) arrives in Las Vegas with only a suitcase and a dream of becoming a top showgirl. She quickly befriends Molly (Gina Ravera), who works at the high-profile Stardust Hotel, and lands a job at a seedy strip club. A chance meeting with Cristal (Gina Gershon), the Stardust's marquee dancer, and her powerful boyfriend, Zack (Kyle MacLachlan), brings Nomi one step closer to realizing her dream. But, as she ascends to the top, Nomi begins to wonder if it's all worth it.

Director: Paul Verhoeven
Producer: Alan Marshall, Charles Evans
Screenwriter: Joe Eszterhas
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc., United Artists
Production Co: United Artists, Chargeurs, Carolco Pictures Inc.
Rating: NC-17
Genre: Drama, LGBTQ+
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 22, 1995, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 25, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $19.3M
Runtime: 2h 11m
Sound Mix: Surround