Leaving Las Vegas

It's not a movie I could bear to watch very often, because it's sad to see people destroy themselves. But Nicolas Cage and Elisabeth Shue are riveting to watch here. As a person who has a past involvement in alcohol and substance abuse, I found Cage's performance especially compelling, and after watching him in this one, I am sure glad that lifestyle is behind me!

The chemistry between these two is really great, two people that need each other in different ways, trying to cope with how screwed up their lives have become. Very real performances, if you're faint-of-heart be ready for some strong words, and not just obscenities. Wow! They really lay it on the line. Great performances by two of my favorites.

Nic Cage is hit and miss with me. This is him at his best. His pain, apathy, hopelessness, helplessness, pathetic-ness (if that's a word) is heart wrenching. You can't help but pity him but at the same time you know he's on the correct path -- for him. It's sad. But beautiful at the same time because of his relationship with her. The thing that makes this performance so amazing to me is that he's usually such a loud, boisterous character, sometimes to the point of obnoxiousness but here he is so understated. If it's not the best performance of all time, it is definitely his best performance. For me.

Ben Sanderson is an alcoholic, who after getting released from his well paid screen writing position, heads to Vegas with his severance pay. Where he seriously plans to drink himself to death. But whilst cruising down the strip he meets Sera, a nicely turned out prostitute, and both troubled souls come together in an unlikely romance.

Based around the semi-autobiographical novel by John O'Brien, an alcoholic who committed suicide before the film made it to the screen, this is a sad, dark and deeply upsetting picture. Sanderson and his plight has no motive, we are not fed reasons for his nihilistic behaviour. We find him at the beginning of the film joyously hurtling thru a liquor market isle, promptly filling his shopping cart with bottles of liquor. From here on in we know that this is no ordinary film about an alcoholic trying to get off the booze, we are on a train to Bleakville, stops at Love and Liberation seem a very long way away.

Enter Sera, the sweet and wholesome prostitute, who having escaped the abusive and borderline psycho pimp, Yuri, is herself in need of liberation. But can she carry the burden of both as this unlikely and almost certainly doomed romance starts to become significant? Nicholas Cage as Sanderson is terrific, very compelling, realistic and segueing from zany wired comedy to the desolation of Sanderson's death wish descent within a heart beat. Elisabeth Shue as Sera is also incredibly potent, if perhaps guilty of looking too pristine, and prompting questions of why she would be drawn to Ben's world anyway?

Shue none the less works her socks off to make Sera sensitive and believable. Directed by Mike Figgis, who shot it beautifully in Super 16 film, the film won a Best Actor Academy Award for Cage, and garnered nominations for Best Actress {Shue} & Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay {both Figgis}. Massively popular and praised on release, it has lost none of the impact that it had back then. 8/10

Remarkable. Touching. Riveting. Leaving Las Vegas is all of these and then some. I have not seen a film of this magnitude about loneliness and acceptance in such a while that I was in tears for much of the run time.

Nicholas Cage is Ben, a man who has lost his wife and child, throws his job away, and takes all of his remaining money to buy as much liquor as possible and "drink himself to death" in the city of Las Vegas. He has given up all hope, with no wish to live, but for one reason or another, wants a companion to share in his misery, but not try to save him. He finds this companion in a hooker, Sera, played by Elizabeth Shue. They immediately form a strong relationship based on one night of talking about their lives. Sera in particular quickly grows attached to Ben, for no other reason than she has been alone her whole life and wants nothing more than to feel that want and need by someone.

Cage won his first Oscar for his role as Ben, and how deserved it was. He was astounding, perfection, down to every single tick, the volume of his voice, the pain and tragedy buried in his eyes. I could not believe the extent of his role, the dedication and time he invested in bringing this character to life. Same goes for Elizabeth Shue, who with a simple glance at a person, she reveals her entire self, and no one even dares to notice except for Ben. This neediness is apparent, she wants to hold onto this relationship so badly, yet what makes their relationship work is total and complete acceptance of their respective decisions. He will not tell her to stop being a hooker, and she in return can never ask him to stop drinking. And it is in that factor that makes this film worth watching. To be totally accepted by those around them, to open themselves up to such an extreme.

Leaving Las Vegas is a sobering film about connections, loneliness, acceptance, and a small little island of hope that is Ben and Sera. They are two good people, depicted in a world full of sorrows and misdeeds, who latch onto each other and never let go. They were nothing but ghosts, till that chance encounter, and became each others worlds. Cage and Shue bring these good people to life in such an extraordinary way, making Leaving Las Vegas a film to be treasured and remembered for years to come. I highly recommend this film.

Leaving Las Vegas (1995)

**** (out of 4)

Depressing account of a man (Nicholas Cage) who goes to Las Vegas to drink himself to death and once there he strikes up a relationship with a prostitute (Elisabeth Shue). Going back and watching this film after so many years had a lot of things going through my mind. Such as the first time I watched this it was in the theater as the second part of a double feature with DEAD MAN WALKING. Talk about a depressing four hours in the theater. The second thing it reminded me of was what a terrific actor Cage was and how at the time many people were calling him one of the greatest of his generation. I bring this up considering the type of films Cage is currently doing. LEAVING LAS VEGAS is without question a very dark and depressing film and it always amuses me that people attacked the picture for this. I mean, there are several films each year that shows the fun side of drinking so I always find it strange that so many could object to a film showing the ugly side. I can understand people not wanting to sit through a nearly two-hour suicide movie but at the same time those who can stomach the story are going to be shown one of the best performances from this era. Cage is simply marvelous as the alcoholic who goes on a death wish for reasons we're not fully told. It's funny but the screenplay really doesn't give us much insight to either character other than both are troubled, alone and find some sort of comfort with each other. This love story between the two certainly isn't all that casual or romantic but it's quite unique in its own way. The way Cage controls this character, his various emotions and the physical nature of his body falling apart are simply amazing to watch. It really reminds one of how great he can be when the material is right. Shue also turns in the best performance of her career and you can really see the pain in her eyes as this man she loves is slowly dying. Julian Sands is also quite effective in his few scenes. Director Mike Figgis does an extremely good job with the material but a lot of credit also needs to go towards his film score. LEAVING LAS VEGAS isn't a very pretty movie to watch but then again, why would anyone expect alcoholism to be pretty?