Review of Leaving Las Vegas (1995) by Michael T — 14 Apr 2010
Nicolas Cage is an alcoholic Hollywood screenwriter who heads to Las Vegas to drink himself to death. He picks up a prostitute (Elisabeth Shue) to be there with him during his binge-drinking descent under the condition that she never talks him out of it.
At one point, Shue even buys him a flask. This is a love story of despair involving two self-destructive, dependent people set in the apathetic world of Las Vegas. The filmmakers do a good job of not explaining the back story of Cage's alcoholism but there is a false, life-affirming note to a downbeat ending.
Cage has never been better. This may be the least showy performance of a drunkard I've seen. Shue shows a dramatic range she never displayed before but she is playing the standard hooker with the heart of gold.
Written and directed by Mike Figgis, who adapted the book by John O'Brien. Ironically, O'Brien committed suicide after selling the movie rights to the book. Filmed in grainy 16 mm by cinematographer Declan Quinn.
Figgis also did the music which was excessively used and frequently demeaned the mood. Visually and in its feeling there are parallels to Jon Huston's "Under the Volcano." Cage won the Oscar for Best Actor.
With Julian Sands as Shue's pimp, Kim Adams, Laurie Metcalf, Richard Lewis, Steven Weber, Valeria Golino.
This review of Leaving Las Vegas (1995) was written by Michael T on 14 Apr 2010.
Leaving Las Vegas has generally received very positive reviews.
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