Leaving Las Vegas is a romantic drama film directed by Mike Figgis. The plot sees disgraced, alcoholic screen writer Ben Sanderson (Nicolas Cage), retire to Las Vegas to drink himself to death. While there he meets prostitute Sera (Elisabeth Shue), and the two form a doomed romance.
For those looking for a wild Nicolas Cage film you won’t be disappointed here. There is plenty of Cage’s trademark strange sensibilities, but in a more subdue way. Cage delivers quite a dramatic powerhouse performance here; he is utterly captivating to watch.
The same can be said for Shue. This might be by favourite performance from her so far, (that I’ve seen), I truly bought that her character loved Ben and was just desperate to find someone who cared about here and didn’t just want to use her. I thought the romance between Ben and Sera was the definition of bittersweet, it was touching and felt like a slap to the face but one that you were happy to receive.
My one note would be that though it is brilliantly done it is incredibly, unrelentingly bleak. This film is a tragedy through and through and is quite upsetting. A warning to you there. I would say it is the sort of film that you need to watch something happy afterwards for sure.
Overall a heart-breaking masterpiece that deserves to be experienced as it has so much to say about the human condition, even if it is depressing in the highest degree.
Pros.
Cage
Shue
The comments on the human condition
The romance
Cons.
It is hard to watch at times and it does not apologies for that
4.5/5
Reviewed by Luke
Another Millennial Reviewer 