Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets

They described it here as a feelgood film. It is not.

Story of everday people, many of the characters wouldnt look out of place in a Charles Bukowski novel. There is a full spectrum of characters on display, all of whom are keen on using alcohol as a coping mechanism in their daily struggles. I love documentaries like this, especially as they age well. Be interesting for people to watch in years ahead. Its a slice of everyday life for working class people, and insight in to issues faced today. Emotions flow high and nobody holds back on unveiling their personal lives 100%, makes for an entertaining watch. Laughs, libidinous behaviour and arguments - bar Life.

How do I even begin to write this review? Just wanted to chime in and say this off beat film is about a bar in Las Vegas closing down. The whole film focusses on patrons to the bars - alcoholics, middle aged people, unhappy people, people complaining about their lives, what could have been - all well behaved despite their fragile undercurrent. Loved, loved it.

Enter a Las Vegas dive bar on its final night before closing. The inhabitants are as shabby and unremarkable as you might expect, at first glimpse at least. When sticking around to observe them for an entire night, you begin to understand the humanity of these so-called societal rejects and failures. Sure, they might be unshowered, wreaking of booze and cigarettes, and unable to come up with a single answer to Jeopardy! but they are people who crave and deserve a sense of belonging just as much as any 9 to 5 office employee. There's a heart to this story that offers a dash of hope. Then the bar closes and everyone moves on.

I was initially kinda angry when I found out this wasn't a real documentary. I had this weird emotional dump. It's hard to describe but I felt cheated in a way.

Thankfully though it also works as a regular narrative film, so I've gotten past them feelings and tried judging it based on that. A fictional film with mostly non-actors. And by them standards, it's still very very good. One of the best of the year actually. Which kinda begs the question, why did they even feel the need to try to sell it as a doc in the first place?