Leaving Las Vegas (1995)

Ben Sanderson, an alcoholic Hollywood screenwriter who lost everything because of his drinking, arrives in Las Vegas to drink himself to death. There, he meets and forms an uneasy friendship and non-interference pact with prostitute Sera.

Director:

Mike Figgis

Writers:

John O'Brien (novel), Mike Figgis (screenplay)

Stars:

Nicolas Cage, Elisabeth Shue, Julian Sands

Won 1 Oscar. Another 28 wins & 19 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Nicolas Cage	...	Ben Sanderson
Elisabeth Shue	...	Sera
Julian Sands	...	Yuri
Richard Lewis	...	Peter
Steven Weber	...	Marc Nussbaum
Kim Adams	...	Sheila
Emily Procter	...	Debbie
Stuart Regen	...	Man at Bar
Valeria Golino	...	Terri
Graham Beckel	...	L.A. Bartender
Albert Henderson	...	Man at Strip Bar (as Al Henderson)
Shashi Bhatia	...	Hispanic Prostitute
Carey Lowell	...	Bank Teller
Anne Lange	...	Business Colleague
Thomas Kopache	...	Mr. Simpson

Storyline

Because his wife left him and took his son with her, screenwriter Ben Anderson has started drinking, a lot. He's getting more and more isolated and he troubles women in bars because he wants to have sex with them. When he gets fired, he decides to leave everything behind and move to Las Vegas and drink himself to death. In Las Vegas he meets Sera, a prostitute with some problems as well who he moves in with.

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Plot Keywords:

prostitute | death | sex | bar | alcoholic | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong sexuality and language, violence and pervasive alcohol abuse

Details

Official Sites:

MGM/UA [us]

Country:

USA

Language:

English Russian

Release Date:

27 October 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

Adieu Las Vegas

Filming Locations:

Bally's Casino Resort - 3645 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$3,600,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$31,968,347 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lumiere Pictures, Lila Cazès Production, A, Initial Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

111 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Nicolas Cage researched his character by binge drinking and visiting many hospitalized career alcoholics. Elisabeth Shue associated with prostitutes and interviewed them on the strip in Las Vegas.

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Goofs

When in the pool, Ben has a tattoo on his back.

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Quotes

Ben Sanderson: I need my drinky.

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Crazy Credits

The opening credits do not appear until fifteen minutes into the film.

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Connections

Referenced in Proinhibition (2009)

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Soundtracks

"It's A Lonesome Old Town"
Written by Harry Tobias and Charles Kisco
Performed by Sting
Courtesy of A&M Records, Inc.

User Reviews

Amazing, and gritty performances

It's not a movie I could bear to watch very often, because it's sad to see people destroy themselves. But Nicolas Cage and Elisabeth Shue are riveting to watch here. As a person who has a past involvement in alcohol and substance abuse, I found Cage's performance especially compelling, and after watching him in this one, I am sure glad that lifestyle is behind me!

The chemistry between these two is really great, two people that need each other in different ways, trying to cope with how screwed up their lives have become. Very real performances, if you're faint-of-heart be ready for some strong words, and not just obscenities. Wow! They really lay it on the line. Great performances by two of my favorites.