Making a splash: A deep dive into the live-action Little Mermaid with a new generation's Ariel. Its a sense of loss we see in Bens face when his boss fires him towards the beginning of the film. Cookie policy. When I watched this scene, I knew that Cages performance was more than just pretending to be drunk; this was an actor who understood the nuances of addiction, and how to make that torture appear and feel alarmingly real. Midway in the film someone offers Ben the insight that his drinking is a way of killing himself. The most painfully realistic moment of Cages performance is also one of the quietest in Leaving Las Vegas. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Bens ready wit and humanity are what make it memorable. When he lets her down badly, toward the end of the movie, she goes out and does something that no hooker should do - gets herself into a motel room with a crowd of drunken college boys - and we see how she needed Ben because she desperately needed to do something good for somebody. Everything is real to him, even if he often doesnt seem real to us. Chosen answer: On the contrary, the social contacts at work typically tolerate, sympathize with, and even enable alcoholics and other substance abusers, because many of the other employees are also similarly (and secretly) engaged in addictive behavior of their own to varying degrees. While Sera is working, Ben goes to a casino and returns with another prostitute. Sera returns to find them in her bed and throws Ben out. And dont expect many views eitherafter all, youre off course, of course. Leaving Las Vegas (1995) - Plot Summary - IMDb Cage was grateful that he only had to be in the headspace of a suicidal character for less than a month. But in this explosive instance, Ben is clearly burning from agony within. The film also received nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Director. Halle Bailey, Melissa McCarthy, and director Rob Marshall share the tale behind making their underwater musical with a groundbreaking Disney princess. In his Academy Award acceptance speech, Cage said, I know its not hip to say it, but I just love acting, and I hope that therell be more encouragement for alternative movies where we can experiment and fast forward into the future of acting. That love he has for this art form is apparent in his dynamic approach to embodying a character as flawed and complicated as Ben Sanderson. As the credits begin to role, one cannot help but trouble over the argument the film extends about the futility of change. Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama, Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Drama, Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards, Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures, Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards, San Sebastin International Film Festival, Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role, Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role, Best Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published, Oscars: Six Contenders on the Challenges and Rewards of Making 2021 Indies, Leaving Las Vegas and the Writer Who Didn't Live to See It, Cage relishes operatic role in tragic 'Leaving Las Vegas', FILM REVIEW;Lurching Through a Life Of Alcoholic Abandon, Viva, "Las Vegas!" That's why I did Mr. Jones, because I think manic-depression is a fascinating, sad, and amazing phenomenon. What moves me the most in movies is not when something bad happens, but when characters act unselfishly. You put them up against a couple of trucks, with it all happening around them, and their voices become great". 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The limited budget dictated the production and Figgis ended up filming in super 16mm and composing his own score. All tracks are written by Mike Figgis except as noted. [19] Leonard Klady from Variety wrote Leaving Las Vegas was "certainly among a scant handful of films that have taken an unflinching view of dependency. Heres an unusual Oscar winner from 1995, with Nic Cage on career best form. Their relationship is tragically asymmetrical: While Sera endures violence and abuse from customers to make money, Ben crashes for free on her sofa, drinking himself into a dreamy stupor. What moves me the most in movies is not when something bad happens, but when characters act unselfishly. Sera visits Ben, and the two make love, and he dies shortly thereafter. In a particularly memorable scene, Ben, detecting a hint of exasperation from Sera, suggests that he leave her home and relocate to a motel. Yet they meet for a final time when Ben is on his deathbed. As the bank teller asks him to sign his name, he clasps his hands around his arms and shakes uncontrollably. Cast : Nicolas Cage, Elisabeth Shue, Julian SandsScreenplay : Mike FiggisRelease : October 27, 1995Director : Mike FiggisGenre : Drama, RomanceCountry : USAStream NowTim's Rating : Bang for your Buck : Leaving Las Vegas (1995) Posted by Tim Brayton Posted on Jun - 3 - 20170 Comments To live and die in L.V. 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. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Starring: Nicolas Cage, Elisabeth Shue. Considering how much fear and loathing there apparently is in Las Vegas, its not terribly surprising one would want to leave it. But beneath its dark surface theres a touching love story and a lot of black humour. 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. I'm basically a nihilist and . Actor-comedian Richard Lewis (Peter)who himself is a recovering alcoholicalso remembered Cage having someone on set describing drunkenness to help him out. Reading the book. Leaving Las Vegas was filmed in super 16 mm[5] instead of 35 mm film; while 16mm was common for art house films at the time, 35mm is most commonly used for mainstream film. "[9] Shue spent time interviewing several Las Vegas prostitutes. [25] The film was also released on Blu-ray, HD DVD and LaserDisc.[26]. And that's the end of the season. Check out the mistake & trivia books, on Kindle and in paperback. Find him on Twitter here: We unlock the reasons why Cages Academy Award winning performance is as stunning as it is deeply uncomfortable. Oh, this movie is so sad! You put them up against a couple of trucks, with it all happening around them, and their voices become great". Leaving Las Vegas (1995) - User Reviews - IMDb Since a producer asked Figgis to take the added therapy scenes out, he wanted to make sure they were absolutely necessary. Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. He also visited hospitalised alcoholics to understand their stories. In the next shot Ben is pouring alcohol to an EMPTY glass filling it in 1/3 approx. (One could argue that the intention to have them show up on Knight Rider is closure enough. But for Cage's Ben, rather than asking for help, he ties that rope into. Whoever created the trailer clearly had little idea what they were dealing with, trying to play on the films occasional bursts of humour like its some fun barfly romp. 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. MGM/UA reportedly spent less than $2 million marketing the film, which included TV spots and ads in industry publications.