#48 Leaving Las Vegas
Year: 1995
Director: Mike Figgis
MPAA Rating:
Epic Co-stars: Elisabeth Shue, Julian Sands, Richard Lewis, French Stewart, Roseanne's Sister, Detective Benson
Running Time: 111 minsCage Time: 85%
Cage Kills: 0
Cage Flip-outs: 1
James/Skyler's Review:
Ben Sanderson (Nicolas Cage) sums up his situation pretty well when he says (to a prostitute who is robbing him) "Did my wife leave me because I started drinking or did I start drinking because my wife left me". He's a severe alcoholic who has just lost his wife, his job, and any control over his life. So he decides to do what any sensible person in this situation would do; move back to Las Vegas and drink himself to death.
Shortly after getting to town he meets Sera (Elisabeth Shue), a self proclaimed excellent prostitute who's recently found herself pimp-less with nothing to do. Things progress. They move in together. Ben drinks. Sera follows. Things will merrily go on like this forever as long as one thing never happens; That Sera never asks Ben to quit drinking. I wonder what'll happen...
This movie is made up of incredibly heavy subject matter and at times is hard to watch for even the most tasteless and crass viewers. The hero and heroine manage to find some of the darkest corners of human existence and often bring you there with them.
This is some deep stuff. Alcoholism is usually depicted in a glamorous or funny way in Hollywood. The reality of it, is that it is hard to watch, and Dr. Cage makes it so. You can see why he got an Oscar for his work here. By the way, Nicolas Cage beat out Sean Penn that year for Best Actor. Take that, Sean Penn. You suck.
Overall, this is definitely one worth watching. Cage's performance is brilliant. He makes an alcoholic seem charming, and at the identical moment, pathetic. His co-actress makes prostitution seem like a legitimate career, if it weren't for some of the clientele, which makes it a hard, sad life. As this film is pure art, and serious art at that, I will finish this review with a poem:
Ben Sanderson (Nicolas Cage) sums up his situation pretty well when he says (to a prostitute who is robbing him) "Did my wife leave me because I started drinking or did I start drinking because my wife left me". He's a severe alcoholic who has just lost his wife, his job, and any control over his life. So he decides to do what any sensible person in this situation would do; move back to Las Vegas and drink himself to death.
 |
| "Kid in a candy store" dance. He got an Oscar for this. |
Shortly after getting to town he meets Sera (Elisabeth Shue), a self proclaimed excellent prostitute who's recently found herself pimp-less with nothing to do. Things progress. They move in together. Ben drinks. Sera follows. Things will merrily go on like this forever as long as one thing never happens; That Sera never asks Ben to quit drinking. I wonder what'll happen...
 |
| If you are going to let your life go down the tubes, you might as well have pretty lady by your side. |
This movie is made up of incredibly heavy subject matter and at times is hard to watch for even the most tasteless and crass viewers. The hero and heroine manage to find some of the darkest corners of human existence and often bring you there with them.
This is some deep stuff. Alcoholism is usually depicted in a glamorous or funny way in Hollywood. The reality of it, is that it is hard to watch, and Dr. Cage makes it so. You can see why he got an Oscar for his work here. By the way, Nicolas Cage beat out Sean Penn that year for Best Actor. Take that, Sean Penn. You suck.
 |
| Ben behaves as if he wants to get busted to same him from his fate. |
Overall, this is definitely one worth watching. Cage's performance is brilliant. He makes an alcoholic seem charming, and at the identical moment, pathetic. His co-actress makes prostitution seem like a legitimate career, if it weren't for some of the clientele, which makes it a hard, sad life. As this film is pure art, and serious art at that, I will finish this review with a poem:
Leaving Las Vegas
by A Year in the Cage
The oldest vice meets the oldest profession,
Racing toward death, the oldest depression.
Are these choices for life viable?
In society are these roles justifiable?
They are for a spell, but they end all in hell.
Movie quotability:
Plot Holes:- "Maybe I shouldn't breathe so much Terri. HIHI! "
- "Did my wife leave me because I started drinking or did I start drinking because my wife left me"
- "Somebody fix the phones around here."
- "I'm wondering if you'll take two-hundred dollars to uuummm... Fuck Me."
- "Yeah, she definitely has daddy issues" - Skyler
- "Oh yes, I guess sooner or later we better fuck."
- "Giving you money makes me want to come."
- "Is drinking a way of killing yourself?" "Or is killing myself a way of drinking?"
- "I'm like a prickly pear. A prickly pear."
- A hooker who gets cut on the butt for punishment has no scars on her butt.
- Self proclaimed amazing hooker falls in love with a drunk guy after spending about 10 minutes talking to him.
- Hooker has a nice conservative dress to wear in the event that her pimp is murdered.
CAGEamatic
| 
Cinamatic
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|---|---|---|
| Skyler |
Exceeds Expectations
|
Exceeds Expectations
|
| Shauna |  |  |
| James |
4.39/5
|
4.12/5
|
| Martine |
!Ironed in the CAGE!
| |
