Leaving Las Vegas

Rating:
Summary: One of the best movies ever made
Review: I guess you can't be all things to all people, and this movie is a good example. With all the good things that have been said about it, there are still a lot of people who really hate it. To each their own, I guess.

First, about Las Vegas itself. I do know that when we lived in Illinois, my wife and I must have watched the film fifteen times together. We now live in Las Vegas, where we are raising four children. No, the film did not make the decision for us to move, but I'll admit we were mesmerized by the town's portrayal that you don't see in tourist brochures, and between us, we had been tourists as least a dozen times. While Las Vegas has plenty of openings for Boulevard of Broken Dreams, as any large city does, it's still a rollicking fun town to live in. The movie only portrays what two people made of it.

The biggest reason people trash seem to trash the movie seems to be that it is a depressing downer. I guess I can't argue with that statement. However, my personal definition of art is portraying human emotion differently (within reason) or better than it's been done before. Since this film covers human emotion big time, and wrings you out like a dishrag by the time it's over, I would classify it as art, and very good art.

To the accusation that the two characters are two glamorous, I don't agree, and even if they are, so what? Tragedies are supposed to be great dramas (i.e, Hamlet, Romeo & Juliet), and we have a whopper here with a guy who had an incredibly good job and a family, and lost it all. No, we don't see him puking all over the place, as his condition would suggest, but he does describe exactly those symptoms. As for Elizabeth Shue being too good-looking for the role, trust me, she's not. While she might be an above-average looking streetwalker, she's run-of-the-mill compared to the absolute knockouts that ply their trade in this town. This is not to say she's not beautiful, but she does dress down for the role.

The rape scene was brutal, but I don't think it was gratuitous. First, it showed the dangers that streetwalkers have to face. Her pimp might have been a jerk, be he did at least in part seem to get her some good gigs with relatively civilized people (i.e., her opening scene). As far as the rape situation goes, this was at a point in the movie where she was fast spiraling downhill. After giving Ben more than enough leeway, he betrays her bigtime, and she throws him out. She has just lost something she was very attached to, and this caused a huge depression that resulted in a very careless move. The movie shows how she pays the price for this carelessness, and thus the downward spiral.

I also don't think Elizabeth Shue's nude scene is gratuitous. In fact, it's one of the most brilliant scenes ever shot that uses nudity. To this point in the movie, they've been friends, but no banging, much to her dismay. Liquor is much too important to him. So when they are at a getaway resort, she sees that he even needs to take a bottle with him while swimming underwater at the pool. She comes up with the brilliant idea that maybe if she becomes the booze herself, he will finally get the idea. The idea works. The fact that it also ends tragically is the the destiny of the story.

Based on what both lead actors have done before and since, this film will probably be considered the high-water mark of both of their careers. If it isn't, I'm looking forward to seeing what could be better. It's a story that shows two incredibly lonely people meeting and interacting for a short time. There is no way there could have been a happy ending. They got what they put into life, and much of the time, you're lucky to get even that.

Rating:
Summary: Not a movie to see if you're feeling low...
Review: This is one of the most unremittlingly depressing movies I have ever seen. That said, it is well made, and the lead actors do a credible job. My main argument is that very few hookers look like Elizabeth Shue, and the relationship between two very troubled individuals is somewhat glamorized and made to look poetic, when in reality, it would be pathetic.
If you're feeling a bit down, avoid it like the plague! Otherwise, watch it to appreciate the acting, and to realize that Las Vegas is one of the most depressing places on the planet.

Rating:
Summary: The god of all movies
Review: This movie captured everything I have felt about my life. I have totally been obsessed with this movie since I first saw it 4 years ago. This movie portrays what it is like to lose everything, and to deal with it in a socially unacceptable way. Nic plays a drunk like no other could have. Elisabeth is just outstanding. I have personally revolved my life around the theme of this movie for the past two years....Ben with an N

Rating:
Summary: Lyrical
Review: Mike Figgis' "Leaving Las Vegas" is one of the most lyrical, sad and beautiful movies I have ever seen. It proves that Figgis is a great auteur, and his style is captivating.

This is a subtle tale of a drunkard, who has lost all hope in life, and a prostitute, who is given no real future, and how these two people find each other in their desperation. Yet neither of them stops what they are doing in the course of their relationship, no matter how hard it is for the other to watch.

The movie flows into our eyes like a jazz composition (the fabulous jazz score was actually composed by Figgis himself). Figgis uses many methods to tell his story, but no matter what, he tells it subtly, without exaggerating and underlining anything.

Most of the things that we know about the past of the characters are never spoken, but softly implied- some people see this as a lack of character development, here it is to actually underline the main plot itself- how two people can watch each other into the end. They both know that their future's aren't too bright, and that their current situations aren't too favourable either; they live off each other, respect each other, until they just can't bear to watch on. They play their depraved lives off each other. Figgis doesn't make any of the characters particularly charming or respectful- they are more blunt than anything else.

Many people critisize this movie for its terryfying rape scene; few seem to understand that it is the low point of the Elizabeth Shue character, in terms of her "flaw" of being a prostitute, is equilavent to having fights and being thrown out of casinos is a low point for the Cage character.

This is a great movie, definetly one of the best of the past few years; both actors handle their roles exquisetly, and Figgis' direction and editing are amazing. It just shows how two people find each other in their desperation, how that becomes one of their last reasons to hang on to life- love. I recommend this movie wholeheartedly.

Rating:
Summary: Good movie, but not a great film score: 74 (out of 100)
Review: Nicholas Cage's character, Ben Sanderson, has apparently lost his wife, family, and job. He decides to take his severance check and buy tons of alcohol in order to drink himself to death in a Las Vegas motel room. He meets Sera (Elizabeth Shue), a prostitute that he picks up along the way, and they develop a love affair in the process. Sera's love for Ben is reflected in the way she lets him complete his goal. He wants death and no rehabilitation. As a result, she sacrifices herself in prostitution in order to make ends meet and raise money for Ben's booze habit. In the process, Sera meets some terrible experiences, which makes her character more interesting.

DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES and THE LOST WEEKEND may have an edge on this movie because they have characters that grow and develop over a long period of time. There is not much that we know about Ben or Sera. All we see are his momments of drunkeness and Sera's trying to cope with it. There is very little room for character development in this movie, and the end result is a depressing atmosphere.

Pros: Acting
Cons: Screenplay

Score: 74 (out of 100)

Rating:
Summary: vegas
Review: Leaving Las Vegas isn't really about alcoholism. It deals with it, it shows the effects of it but that's not what the film is about. It's a typical love story between a man and woman in the prime of their lives. Except he's an alcoholic and she's a prostitute. The story isn't really Cage's either, it's more centered on Shue. We learn about her as she talks to an unseen therapist throughout the film. What's really astounding is how the two play the most ... roles - the drunk and the ... with a heart of gold - without any cliches. The film itself has no cliches. Some people have attacked the film becasue the stars are both attractive, but so what? The film was shot independantly on Super 16 cameras so as not to compromise the book. And because it was, Mike Figgis could have cast anyone he wanted to, he didn't need attractive or box office friendly stars for an indie film but these two embody their characters perfectly. There isn't much else to say about the film. It's better viewed than it is described.

Rating:
Summary: Depressing? REALISTIC? Did I see the same movie?
Review: Drug horror movies tend to be either really great ("Lost Weekend," "Sid and Nancy," "Requiem for a Dream") or laughably awful ("Less than Zero," "Clean and Sober," this piece of crud).

The actors actually manage pretty well, given that they are playing out someone's sanitized and styled-up romantic fantasy of a self-immolating Ken and Barbie. They are each a different kind of conceit - Shue's character in particular resembling no actual human. The characters (and the plot) as written make zero sense - so Cage and Shue work their collective charm and personality overtime to smooth over the gaping holes in the screenplay. It's fun to watch Cage overact sometimes, but it can be tiresome too. Kudos to Shue for keeping a straight face and ALMOST making her character work. Evidently it worked for some people.

This movie wasn't depressing - wasn't GOOD ENOUGH to be depressing. Nor was it realistic by any stretch of the imagination. It was just silly, as anyone who has had the displeasure of spending any amount of time in the company of a real-life chronic drunk will tell you.

Real losers (while sometimes possessed of considerable charm) aren't nearly this chic or attractive. There is nothing noble in their suffering. A fascinating, harrowing and mordantly humorous film could be made about how absolutely banal such people really are - even as they inflict extraordinary suffering upon themselves and everyone around them in a hopeless effort to rise above their banality.

Figgis, in giving a slick, uncritical (and un-thought-out) beauty to his sick characters, only reveals his own banality here.

If it wasn't so irritatingly self-important in tone, it might be fun to laugh at. That so many people took it seriously mystifies me.

Rating:
Summary: Depressing? REALISTIC? Did I see the same movie?
Review: Drug horror movies tend to be either really great ("Lost Weekend," "Sid and Nancy," "Requiem for a Dream") or laughably awful ("Less than Zero," "Clean and Sober," this piece of crud).

The actors actually manage pretty well, given that they are playing out someone's sanitized and styled-up romantic fantasy of a self-immolating Ken and Barbie. The characters (and the plot) as written make zero sense - so Cage and Shue work their collective charm and personality overtime to smooth over the gaping holes in the screenplay. Evidently it worked for some people.

This movie wasn't depressing - wasn't GOOD ENOUGH to be depressing. Nor was it realistic by any stretch of the imagination. It was just silly, as anyone who has had the displeasure of spending any amount of time in the company of a real-life chronic drunk will tell you.

Real losers (while sometimes possessed of considerable charm) aren't nearly this chic or attractive. There is nothing noble in their suffering. A fascinating, harrowing and mordantly humorous film could be made about how absolutely banal such people really are - even as they inflict extraordinary suffering upon themselves and everyone around them in a hopeless effort to rise above their banality.

Figgis, in giving a slick, uncritical beauty to his sick but completely manufactured characters, only reveals his own banality here.

Its one of those laughable movies (like "Country," for instance) that, when I saw it, I absolutely couldn't believe people were taking it seriously - "Reefer Madness" with stars and an MTV veneer.

Rating:
Summary: More Nihilism From Hollywood
Review: More nihilism posing as art. "Let's watch pathetic people doing degrading things to each other!" seems to be the Hollywood motto nowadays. They produce it in abundance, then award it all the academy awards they possibly can (see "American Beauty").

The rape scene in this flick is shameless, particularly the "humor" about Shue's character not being able to sit down afterwards. Still, most of my male friends focused their attention on how "HOT" Shue was in it, as some of these reviewers have also done. Am I the only one who sees something incredibly wrong in that?!?!? Have you ever noticed that rape victims in films are almost exclusively attractive? Have you ever wondered why that is?

Sensationalism. Titillation. We all fall victim to these things from time to time, but we don't usually mistake them for art.

Rating:
Summary: Leaving Las Vegas
Review: I really enjoyed it, it was very intense. Nicholas Cage had that part down pat.