The Town Herald

The netpaper about Elftowners, by Elftowners, for Elftowners.

Leaving Las Vegas

As reviewed by [Linderel]



Ben Sanderson, a Hollywood screenwriter, is not a happy man. After being fired due to his alcoholism, he burns all his belongings and heads out to Las Vegas to do one thing: die.

Once there, he soon meets the beautiful hooker Sera who naturally has her own problems to deal with. Hers is not a joyous tale, either. The two form a connection and eventually find themselves parties in a strange pact: he stays with her and she doesn't try to make him stop drinking.

The sickly appearance of the main character makes it clear from the very beginning that these are not happy times we are about to see. Nicholas Cage conveys real desperation in his portrayal of an alcoholic bent on suicide by drinking, and Elisabeth Shue is wonderful as the sympathetic prostitute who really just wants to be loved.

This is not a conventional love story, nor is it a happy one.

The regular narrative is interspersed with scenes of Sera in a comfortable, brightly lit room, talking to someone of the events - probably a therapist. This makes the film a bit disjointed, but in the end, it works to its advantage.

The soundtrack, mostly a mix of jazz and blues pieces, is at times casual, careless even, and lends an ironic effect to an already dark film. On the other hand, it is honestly, quietly melancholic, enough so to be heartbreaking. Plainly put, it fits like a glove.

Be warned: this is not a feel-good movie. It's tragic, it's depressing, it's painfully real. Every little piece of hope that unfurls is brutally crushed in the next second. That, however, is part of what makes it such a good movie. I do recommend it - but I also recommend that you have a packet of tissues in your immediate vicinity while viewing this. Chances are you'll be needing them.



Go or Return to:
...The Town Herald - Issue 20 entrance page
...TH Issue 20 Index page
...The Town Herald official wiki page