Proving that even the trashiest of films can have its day, You Don’t Nomi is a fascinating exploration into the second-life cult status of the 1995 flop Showgirls.

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Movies are no exception, with legions of fans embracing a number of films cast away by film critics and the mainstream alike. You Don’t Nomi, the feature film by Jeffrey McHale, explores perhaps the most notorious of these castaways: Paul Verhoeven’s notorious 1995 flop, Showgirls.   

Let’s be very clear: Showgirls is not a good movie. There is a reason it is seen as one of the worst films of all time, and You Don’t Nomi will not convince many otherwise. Yet McHale achieves in presenting how a film, no matter its tawdry quality, can not only make an impact, but even inspire others to create their own art.

The proof, as they say, is in the pudding, with You Don’t Nomi an entertaining and very well-crafted film analysis. McHale’s work as an editor especially shines here, with his ability to weave different opinions and breakdowns on Verhoeven’s trash classic creating an engaging tapestry that is visually and intellectually stimulating.

These different perspectives result in fascinating insights into what defines taste, and whether “bad” movies should be taken seriously. One term attributed to Showgirls and its ilk, “masterpiece of shit”, gives credence to the fact that even a turd of a movie doesn’t necessarily warrant flushing down the sewer of crappy film history.

McHale also delves into Verhoeven’s filmography, from his risqué Netherland days, through his ultra-violent and sex driven Hollywood run, to his now affirmed position back in Holland. In doing so, McHale shows that Showgirls is an extension of the Verhoeven cinema experience, as opposed to it being an outlier. A curious question arises: had Verhoeven made Showgirls in the Netherlands, would American film critics be more forgiving to a Euro-trash centric Showgirls and all the foibles that would come with such a thing? Maybe. Or maybe nothing will change. Either way, Showgirls will always be a notorious part of trash cinema history, and there is nothing wrong with that.