Nicolas Cage stars as a suicidal alcoholic in Los Angeles who, having lost his family and been recently fired, has decided to move to Las Vegas and drink himself to death. Brief Synopsis Read More An avowed alcoholic, Ben drank away his family, friends and, finally, his job. The dynamism of his performances comes from this concentrated focus on making his imagination feel real, allowing himself to disappear both emotionally and physically into a character. One could also argue that the road to hell is paved with good intentions.). Thats what triggered the realisation, 17 years after the event. He has a silver tongue thats been silenced by addiction; his words now nothing more than the pathetic rantings of a man on the cusp of throwing his life away. He also visited hospitalised alcoholics to understand their stories. Shue was known for her work on more lightweight films like The Karate Kid (1984) and Adventures in Babysitting (1987). Ben says he will not criticize her occupation either, and she thanks him. He commences to nonsensically scream, Im like a prickly pear! before staggering, drunk, into their room. Starring: Nicolas Cage, Elisabeth Shue, Julian Sands, Richard Lewis. Thats because he creates an alternate reality for himself that is vivid and alive, helping him ground any of his off the wall quirks. Four Earn 2023 Harvard Medals for Distinguished Service to the University, As Gay Ascends to Presidency, 61 Percent of Surveyed Faculty Say Theyre Satisfied With Her Election, Harvard School of Public Health Launches Mindfulness Center Through $25M Gift, Ex-Harvard Chemist Charles Lieber Spared Additional Prison Time, Will Serve 6 Months House Arrest, Hundreds of Harvard Affiliates Sign Open Letter for Increased Access to Mental Well-Being Support at HKS. Sera receives a call from Ben, who is on his deathbed. Through portraying the tension between the protagonists profound connection and persisting inner demons, Figgis artfully explores love, despair, and the capacity for and, ultimately, futility of change. His consumption is elevated to an operatic level by Cage and director Mike Figgis, where you wouldnt be faulted for thinking it was a gross exaggeration of alcoholism. The limited budget dictated the production and Figgis ended up filming in super 16mm and composing his own score. When he returns to the bank, we watch him dictate into a tape recorder everything he wishes he could say to the bank teller. But in this explosive instance, Ben is clearly burning from agony within. She initially rejects their offer by stating that she only "dates" one at a time but eventually acquiesces when she is offered an increased price. There, he meets and forms an uneasy friendship and non-interference pact with prostitute Sera. for strong sexuality and language, violence and pervasive alcohol abuse, The Unloved, Part 113: The Sheltering Sky, Fatal Attraction Works As Entertainment, Fails as Social Commentary, Prime Videos Citadel Traps Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Richard Madden in Played-Out Spy Game, New York Philharmonic and Steven Spielberg Celebrate the Music of John Williams. Reading the book. Cooper (Tom Selleck). That was directly due to the low budgetthe camera was created by Swedish cinematographer Rune Ericson in 1969. The actor may hate Joe Goldberg, but we still cant get enough of the psychosexy sociopath Badgley brings to life in the stalker-centric rom-dram. It's the morning after the world premiere of "Leaving Las Vegas" at the Toronto Film Festival in September, and I am still under the spell of this remarkable film.It stars Nicolas Cage as a man who loses his family and his job, and moves to Las Vegas with the intention of drinking himself to death.. And while he is there he meets a prostitute, played by Elisabeth Shue, and they fall in love . Cage recounted that he found the use of 16mm liberating as an actor stating in a 1995 interview with Roger Ebert: Figgis had problems because permits were not issued for some street scenes. And because Ben essentially has given up on his, the film becomes Sera's story, about how even in the face of certain defeat we can, at least, insist on loving, and trying. The website's critical consensus reads, "Oscar-awarded Nicolas Cage finds humanity in his character as it bleeds away in this no frills, exhilaratingly dark portrait of destruction. No shame if it's just not your thing. Months after the show aired and before it was officially canceled a source told TV Guide that if Las Vegas failed to receive a sixth season pickup, Duhamel and Simms would appear in the. I thought I was living life, but in actuality I was barely living at all. [20] Leonard Klady from Variety wrote Leaving Las Vegas was "certainly among a scant handful of films that have taken an unflinching view of dependency. And I know it's a grim film, but a couple more lighthearted scenes in the last third would've made it less miserable and therefore more . All tracks are written by Mike Figgis except as noted. Continuity mistake: When Nicholas Cage is in the pool and in a couple of other scenes where he is wearing a shirt you can clearly see a tattoo on his back, but when filmed without a shirt the tattoo is gone. Leaving Las Vegas is a 1995 American drama film written and directed by Mike Figgis and based on the semi-autobiographical 1990 novel of the same name by John O'Brien. Jacob Trussell is a writer based in New York City. He didnt have a filming warrant so the two actors had to be quick to avoid the police. The films final image a flashback to Ben grinning at Sera during their first encounter on the streets of Vegas starkly juxtaposes the bleakness of the present. If there are two unplayable roles in the stock repertory, they are the drunk and the whore with a heart of gold. Cages tormented physicality in this moment is one that any addict will recognize: hes already going through withdrawals. Thats what I want, I want you to talk or listen, just stay. In the peaceful quiet of Bens hotel room, the two reflect on the winding drawbacks of their lives. Later, Sera explains to her therapist that she accepted Ben for who he was and loved him. Well also close by adding we think Mike Figgis (who also wrote the script) offers a thoroughly genuine account of mental health struggles here. Learn how your comment data is processed. Its an exhilarating performance from Cage in a stumbling, deadbeat way. He was her redemption, and when it seems he scorns her gift, she punishes herself. His editorial work has been featured on the BBC, NPR, Rue Morgue Magazine, Film School Rejects, and One Perfect Shot. Continuity mistake: Moving out to Sera, Ben is packing his things in a motel. We may have fonder memories of his wackier roles in movies like Vampires Kiss and Mandy, but if you want incontrovertible proof of his immense talent, look no further than Leaving Las Vegas. It catches those little nuances. Sera's really sad. Bens turbulence is mirrored by the profound unhappiness of Sera (Elisabeth Shue), a prostitute who acts as the films co-lead. Trivia: Nicholas Cage and Elizabeth Shue were so dedicated to the film that she interviewed several real Las Vegas prostitutes while he went on a drinking binge to experience what might happen to his cognition and speech patterns. Sera begs Ben to see a doctor, which he refuses. Can someone please explain how he won an Oscar, Roger Ebert gave it 4 stars, and people giving it a 10/10 on IMDB? With nothing left to live for, and a sizable severance check from his boss, he heads to Las Vegas to drink himself to death. [12] This caused him to film some scenes on the Las Vegas strip in one take to avoid the police, which Figgis said benefited production and the authenticity of the acting, remarking "I've always hated the convention of shooting on a street, and then having to stop the traffic, and then having to tell the actors, 'Well, there's meant to be traffic here, so you're going to have to shout.' The low-budget film is a challenging work, dealing with addiction, depression, and death. For Cage, the success opened the door to bigger projects. Not your standard Oscar fair. Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. Director Mike Figgis sprinkles the film with a laconic sense of humour, which is evident as Ben checks in. Tie up here! Because as soon as that big camera's in your face, you tense up a little bit. Why not experiment? Nouveau shamanic is nothing other than trying to augment your imagination to get to the performance without feeling like youre faking it.. Addresses are not passed on to any third party, and are used solely for direct communication from this site. But, be that as it may, I am not here to force my twisted soul into your life. Her strained expression reveals that she knows Ben is drinking himself to death. Not every wine mom binge drinks like Cages character does, but every time we normalize any level of alcohol dependency, we enable one more person to indulge in an unhealthy relationship to booze. I believe some people like going there as they get treated like a King/Queen and its open 24/7. However, her career never really took offa shame given the talent she showed in the film. Separate from membership, this is to get updates about mistakes in recent releases. The supermodel was supposed to play the hooker at the bar who Ben takes back to his and Seras apartment. Midway in the film someone offers Ben the insight that his drinking is a way of killing himself. MGM/UA reportedly spent less than $2 million marketing the film, which included TV spots and ads in industry publications. You will not see two better performances this year. Am I missing something. Oh, this movie is so sad! Along the way, in Mike Figgis' movie adaptation of John O'Brien's. * NO COPYRIGHT INTENDED* Show more Show more Days of Wine and Roses YouTube Movies & TV Drama 1962 Buy or rent Unrated Leaving Las Vegas. The plot doesnt make it clear if this is due to Bens drinking, or if them leaving has led to him drinking. Leaving Las Vegas is a relentless downer -- look at it as a love story for anyone who found The Bridges of Madison County too precious -- but it's worth sticking through for its two lead. Related Topics: Leaving Las Vegas, Nicolas Cage, The Great Performances. He sobs, Im sorry. In two words Cage masterfully personifies the shame every alcoholic keenly understands. Not because I dont remember the date I quit it was two weeks shy of the Twin Peaks: The Return premiere but because I literally cant remember it. Ben was a movie executive. Mike Figgis, who wrote, directed, and composed the music for this movie, is a filmmaker attracted to the far shores of behavior. How anyone can watch Leaving Las Vegas and still want to drink afterward is beyond me. "[20], Video cassettes and DVD of the film were distributed by MGM Home Entertainment. You can also see Hollywood wasnt entirely sure how to deal with the film. Bens ready wit and humanity are what make it memorable. On his second day in Las Vegas, Ben looks for Sera, introduces himself, and offers her $500 to come to his room for an hour. Hed then film himself when drunk to get an understanding of the right body language, speech, and hand gestures. Cage received the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama and the Academy Award for Best Actor, while Shue was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Drama and the Academy Award for Best Actress. Usually, no action is taken until the addictive behavior starts affecting company income, insurance and morale. His depressive spiral has an edge of gallows humour to proceedings, as he doesnt show much outward emotion about whats happened. Instead, they talk and develop a rapport; Sera invites Ben to move into her apartment. Shortly afterward, Sera is approached by three college students at the Excalibur Hotel and Casino. He also visited hospitalized career alcoholics.
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