SummaryAfter being fired, an alcoholic screenwriter (Nicolas Cage) takes his final paycheck to Las Vegas where he plans to drink himself to death. He comes in contact with a prostitute (Elizabeh Shue) who needs to be needed.
SummaryAfter being fired, an alcoholic screenwriter (Nicolas Cage) takes his final paycheck to Las Vegas where he plans to drink himself to death. He comes in contact with a prostitute (Elizabeh Shue) who needs to be needed.
Great character movie with a top actor in a perfect performance. Elisabeth Shue was also great. Also they fit together well, so it is a pleasure to see them. The story doesnt explain everything, but you dont need to know everything because the relationship is the focus of the movie.
Leaving Las Vegas may not be a top choice for an upbeat outing, but there's something oddly poetic about the simplicity of Ben's mission and Sera's acceptance of it.
An amazing, bracing, funny, audacious, tender, and sobering piece of filmmaking. Few movies have ever dared to be this remorseless in their portraits of addiction.
L'histoire d'un poivrot qui veut se suicider à l'alcool et qui se bourre donc la gueule à en crever à Las Vegas en compagnie d'une pute esseulée... Lui ne veut pas arrêter de picoler, elle ne veut point cesser de faire le tapin : c'est là tout le drame de cette idylle naissante, de cette Bouteille Story, entre deux êtres qui auraient pu être heureux ensemble s'ils étaient restés "normaux" mais qui ne se seraient jamais rencontrés s'ils n'étaient pas déjà tous les deux des épaves...
Nicolas Cage est impérial, la musique jazz est superbe, Elisabeth Shue est radieuse de maturité, la photographie est belle et l'ambiance est extraordinaire : ce n'est donc pas le chiantissime Mort à Venise mais le formidable Glou-glou à Vegas, ville aussi brillante que décadente, où tout n'est qu'illusion et désenchantement...
It's deep, surreal, and offers a kind of operatic ecstasy that is both wonderful and heartbreaking at the same time. Nicholas Cage and Elisabeth Shue also deliver flawless performances.
It's dark, heavy, and not pleasant to watch, but don't let that stop you from hating this film.
The acting is tremendous. Even the smallest details, such as Nicolas Cage's alcoholic hand trembling, looked so real. Elisabeth Shue also seemed to match surprisingly well, although I was surprised that she would play such a role since she was a purist.
The story, however, is a list of the darkness of the rough underworld. Alcoholics, prostitutes... As the characters represent, everything in the film is in trouble. But I guess it is a kind of message that they intentionally portrayed Las Vegas in such a dark way. I can understand that. This film focuses on the relationship between Cage and Xu, but in the background is the darkness of the city of Las Vegas. So perhaps it makes sense to make a film about it in this way as well. However, the viewer is left with a dark and sad feeling. It would not be a good feeling, because it would be piled up in a number of ways.
I sometimes think that a little more joyful stories could have been added, but this story is not a wrong approach to convey a strong message, and the storytelling would come across with stronger feelings that way.
This is the first movie that has positive reviews and I give it a mixed review. I think the movie is well acted (Nicolas Cage nails it) but the rest of movie is entirely depressing, with no compelling characters or storytelling
Dreadfully-written story with one-note characters who aren't performed well. The script is written as a romantic drama but feels like a dark comedy. As far as unintentionally funny Nicolas Cage performances go, this one is pretty decent. Don't expect a nuanced portrayal of alcoholism here, it's just belligerent behavior that would be best suited for a comedy.
All of the hype comes from the director using 16mm film which gave it an arthouse look at a time when that wasn't commonplace. This movie has nothing else going for it. The moments without Cage are vapid, boring, and/or unnecessarily depressing. Overall, I'd say this film is what The Room could've been with a bigger budget. It makes about as much sense and has just as much artistic merit.