By and large, “Is ‘Showgirls’ a good movie?” might be one of the most unanswerable questions posed to our current generation. Aside from “What is the purpose of mankind?” or “Where do we go after we die?” the amount of genuine curiosity posed toward the intentional quality and unintended genius of Paul Verhoeven’s maligned opus has weighed upon the hearts of the casual film fan and hardcore cinephile for decades. In actuality, similar to the existential inquiries listed above, the answer relies entirely on the worldview, experiences, and opinions of the individual viewer, and Jeffrey McHale sets out to exhume the fraught legacy of “Showgirls” once and for all with his documentary “You Don’t Nomi.”
For a director widely regarded as a cultural satirist both in the Netherlands—Verhoeven’s home country—and the United States equally, the ferocity of the continual, legitimate distaste for “Showgirls,” even almost 25 years later, continues to defy logic. Although critics and viewers have begun to recognize and subsequently appreciate the exaggeration and embellishment that invigorate Nomi Malone’s (Elizabeth Berkley) journey into the erotic seediness of the Las Vegas underworld, people still hesitate to acknowledge the movie’s unignorable artistry, both visually and thematically.
Apologists such as Adam Nayman—the author who famously penned “It Doesn’t Suck: Showgirls,” a thoroughly insightful deep-dive into Verhoeven’s film—and David Schmader dedicated years of their lives to the preservation of the movie’s reputation. Elsewhere, artists and actresses like Peaches Christ and April Kidwell respectively have lovingly appropriated the “Showgirls” narrative and warped it into personalized facets of artistry that stem from a personal connection to the subject matter. By the time “You Don’t Nomi” wraps up its 92-minute runtime, the documentary proves that, at least on the mainstream level, “Showgirls” debatably qualifies as one of the most culturally influential “bad” movies in human history.
But what is a “bad” movie? To the average moviegoer, if character depth and emotional impact signify the trademarks of a “good” movie, you should consider a vast majority of financially successful blockbusters to be some of the worst films of all time. Moreover, for the dedicated film buff, it would be logically irresponsible to disparage “Showgirls” for its supposed misogyny, but defend “Spring Breakers,” Harmony Korine’s sexed-up, hedonistic fantasy, as a worthwhile critique of mainstream entertainment and youth culture.
Verhoeven’s unsung masterpiece rides the near-imperceptible line between artistry and exploitation, and—for better or worse—benefits from the ambiguous intentions of the filmmaker. Interestingly, “You Don’t Nomi” cracks the glass on Verhoeven’s artistic plans for “Showgirls.” By revealing the director’s apparently legitimate, semi-lofty aspirations for the style and execution of the erotic drama, balanced alongside screenwriter Joe Eszterhas’ ultra-serious vision, the documentary establishes that some of the movie’s iconic elements and scenes skyrocket past the bliss point due to pure luck and overinterpretation.
However, McHale is not attempting to sway the audience to accept Verhoeven’s misunderstood craftsmanship, nor is the filmmaker defaming viewers who unironically hold the film in high regard. By widening the documentary’s subjects to include individuals from across the social and creative spectrum, “You Don’t Nomi” solidifies that the concept of a “good” movie is nonexistent; within the span of McHale’s retrospective cinematic dissertation, “American Beauty” attracts condemnation while “Valley of the Dolls” collects acclaim. Conversely, the doc’s perception of “Showgirls” endures largely consistent by acknowledging its surface-level flaws, both in its miscalculated storytelling and sleazy behind-the-scenes antics, because the heart of “You Don’t Nomi” does not focus on Verhoeven’s film, but instead emphasizes the beauty of cinema’s culture in its entirety, shining a spotlight on a community encompassed by entertainment seekers and critical academics alike—a pair of dissimilar parties whose opinions harbor an equivalent validity.
Nevertheless, even for the non-Verhoeven enthusiast, “You Don’t Nomi” warrants your attention. As a comparatively non-partisan examination of “Showgirls” and portrait of Verhoeven himself, McHale dissuades most of the manipulation that sabotages traditional documentaries, while imaginative visual callbacks and glossy editing maintain the pacing despite its occasional lapse into repetition. Foremost, April Kidwell’s emotionally vulnerable revelations add a truly resonant note to an otherwise playful film; Kidwell—who portrays Berkley’s character in the “Showgirls” musical adaptation “I, Nomi”—recollects on how Verhoeven’s movie helped the actress conquer past trauma in her life, a confession that coalesces the lynchpin on the documentary’s core theme of valuing artistic subjectivity over cultural respect.
Even if “Showgirls” was inaugurated into the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry or September 22 was officially deemed National “Showgirls” Day, the past cannot be changed. Hilarious discussions of Doggy Chow aside, “Showgirls” killed Berkley’s career, and although the actress has continued to work on television, based on her talent, Berkley deserved more than the world gave her. Likewise, re-examining Verhoeven’s questionable choices and problematic opinions regarding the portrayal of his actresses and showcasing the female form decades later leaves much to debate.
Should the world applaud “Showgirls” as much as it has? Years later, the film’s cult classic status speaks more to the morality of people in the real world than the artistic integrity of a movie that bombed in 1995. Still, “You Don’t Nomi” cuts through the excessive nudity and stylized hyper sex of “Showgirls” to reveal the heart hidden behind the grime, relishing in the entrancing panache that has fascinated and charmed viewers for years. So, to answer the age-old question, “Is ‘Showgirls’ a good movie?” the answer was hidden in front of our eyes the whole time—Who cares? [B+]
“You Don’t Nomi” arrives on VOD on June 9.
