Free Great Movies Review
The ultimate Las Vegas movie. A nearly flawless satire on the city of sex and money where everything is transactional and mechanical, from the slot machines to the dancing to the sex itself. Elizabeth Berkley is perfectly cast as the wide-eyed Nomi Malone who is willing to do anything to rise to the top of being a Vegas showgirl. Her manic delivery fits Joe Eszterhas' script perfectly, and she's well supported by great performances from Gina Gershon, Kyle MacLachlan, Glenn Plummer, Robert Davi, and Gina Ravera. Director Paul Verhoeven's hilariously over-the-top homage to MGM musicals was wildly misunderstood when it was released and is finally receiving the cult classic status it deserves decades later. Everything in the movie is as garish and stupid and exciting as the city of Vegas itself. In the 80s and 90s, Verhoeven was the preeminent American cinematic satirist, and in this big-budget spectacle, he holds a mirror up to the Las Vegas strip to show an America more American than any American director could realize. If you've seen the film once and dismissed it try watching it again, and then again. Also, watch the superb documentary on the film called You Don't Nomi (2019) which analyzes the movie from many different angles. Showgirls may very well be Paul Verhoeven's masterpiece.
Movie Description
Showgirls is a 1995 erotic satirical comedy film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Joe Eszterhas. It follows the story of Nomi Malone (Elizabeth Berkley), a young drifter who arrives in Las Vegas with dreams of becoming a top showgirl. She lands a job as a stripper and soon gets her big break when she catches the eye of showgirl Cristal Connors (Gina Gershon). As Nomi navigates the glitzy, seductive, and cutthroat world of the Vegas showgirl scene, she is exposed to its darker underbelly. The film garnered controversy for its sexual content and has since gained a cult following for its over-the-top melodrama and high camp value. The movie received an NC-17 rating and was still given a wide theatrical release in which it struggled to make back its $45 million budget. It eventually turned a profit on home video, generating over $100 million in video rentals. It has been considered one of the worst films ever made but is actually one of the best films ever made.
(Summary by FreeGreatMovies.com)