Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Nicolas Cage | ... | Ben Sanderson | |
Elisabeth Shue | ... | Sera | |
Julian Sands | ... | Yuri | |
Richard Lewis | ... | Peter | |
Steven Weber | ... | Marc Nussbaum | |
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Kim Adams | ... | Sheila |
Emily Procter | ... | Debbie | |
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Stuart Regen | ... | Man at Bar |
Valeria Golino | ... | Terri | |
Graham Beckel | ... | L.A. Bartender | |
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Albert Henderson | ... | Man at Strip Bar (as Al Henderson) |
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Shashi Bhatia | ... | Hispanic Prostitute |
Carey Lowell | ... | Bank Teller | |
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Anne Lange | ... | Business Colleague |
Thomas Kopache | ... | Mr. Simpson |
Because his wife left him and took his son with her, screenwriter Ben Sanderson 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. Written by Marco van Hoof <k_luifje7@hotmail.com>
LEAVING LAS VEGAS (1995) **** Nicolas Cage, Elisabeth Shue, Julian Sands. (Cameos: Richard Lewis, Steven Weber, Carey Lowell, French Stewart, Julian Lennon, Mariska Hargitay, R. Lee Ermey, Ed Lauter, Danny Huston, Lucinda Jenney, Lou Rawls, Laurie Metcalf, Shawnee Smith, Bob Rafelson,Xander Berkley). Uncompromisingly bleak and powerful portrayal of unconditional love between two tragic misfits. Cage in a bravura performance, that justifiably garnered him a Best Actor Oscar, vows to give up on life and heads to Vegas to drink himself to death where he meets and falls for pretty victimized hooker Shue (the performance of her career, and Best Actress nominee) who decides to love him for what he is. Excellent rapport and believably realistic performances and excellent adaptation of John O' Brien's semi-autobiographical novel of total despair. O' Brien committed suicide shortly after his novel was being produced into a film. Filmed in grainy 16MM and blown up to 35MM gives it an all too natural look. Look sharply for the film's director Mike Figgis as a goateed thug after pimp Sands.