Showgirls

NC-17

Now Playing

2 hr. 11 min.

Drama

LGBTQ+

List

22%

78 Reviews

Tomatometer

37%

50,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

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.

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Critics Consensus

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

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Jesus

Don't know why this movie is rated so low. It's not a bad movie. Is it Academy Award material, no. But it's definitely not as bad as it is rated here, I give it a 7.5 or an 8 on a scale of 1 to 10.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/17/24

Full Review

Ronney R

If you like John Waters films you'll LOVE Showgirls. If you don't like John Waters films, then go ahead & skip this film. It's definitely NOT for the squeamish. I don't understand that hatred for this film. Sure it's over the top. But it's Vegas Baby! Everything's over the top in Vegas & this movie is just that; it's a roller coaster ride with no seat belts about ready to come off the tracks at any moment. So make a pitcher of your favorite beverage (margarita's?) call a bunch of close friends & get ready for a "balls to the wall" roller coaster ride because from beginning to end this film takes you THERE. Just don't ask me where that place is ( I've never been a "showgirl" after all).

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/03/24

Full Review

Test T

I watched most of this on DVD recently. I say most, because one of the chapters started breaking up and would not play properly. That said, I thought what I saw was stylish and entertaining. The film is packed with really hot las vegas showgirls taking their clothes off and performing erotic dances. The story moved at a fast pace, so there's never a dull moment and plenty of action to enjoy. The plot is good, and the characters have enough depth to form a connection with. Elizabeth Berkley performs superbly in the lead role throughout the film and is really exciting to watch. Highly recommended.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/09/24

Full Review

Rogier R

You love it or you hate it. I belong to the lovers. How can anyone not appreciate this movie. Am I a naive viewer, or a trained one who recognizes the hand of the master in so many shots and scenes? Really, none of the ones to fours on IMDb or Rotten Tomatoes can convince me that this is a crap movie. You can use this film to give complete lectures on visual language. Yes, the story is over the top, yes, Nomi is over the top. But that fits in with this beautiful story about a strong woman who manages to work her way up to the star of the show and does not deny herself and takes revenge on all the wrong men and women who abuse her and each other. The transfer on Blu Ray is simply good and this film is high in the Verhoeven Ranking. What a dazzling film. Enjoyed, and not just the beautiful tits that almost kill you, so much that it is certainly not about that anymore. But for the amazing sex scene in the swimming pool and the dance sequences that are not to be despised.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

12/01/23

Full Review

Outer Splatter G

A lot of this movie is really ridiculous with it's unintentional comedy, bad acting, really bad characters and it's terrible plot. But some scenes can just be alright at sometimes. But overall just bad movie.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

11/08/23

Full Review

Jenelle W

Showgirls was an absolute masterpiece! It showed the good, the bad, and the ugly of show business.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/05/23

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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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

Full Review

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

Stephen Hunter

Baltimore Sun

Here's a first: An adults-only film that appears to have been written, produced and directed by children.

Rated: 1/4

Mar 28, 2024

Full Review

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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
Executive Producer: Mario Kassar
Screenwriter: Joe Eszterhas
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc., United Artists
Production Co: United Artists, 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
Sound Mix: Surround