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Leaving Las Vegas
1995 111 min France, United Kingdom R 18+
★8.2
Drama, Romance
Director: Mike Figgis
🎭 Based on
«Leaving Las Vegas»
byJohn O'Brien
Trailers
EN
EN
EN
EN
Description
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.
Budget:
$3.6M
US Gross:
$32.03M
Worldwide:
$49.8M
Starring
Nicolas Cage
Actor
Elisabeth Shue
Actor
Julian Sands
Actor
Awards
Academy Awards 1996
— Best Actor
Golden Globe 1996
— Best Actor (Drama)
San Sebastián International Film Festival 1995
— Silver Shell – Best Performance
Golden Globe 1996
— Best Picture (Drama)
Academy Awards 1996
— Best Director
Academy Awards 1996
— Best Actor
Academy Awards 1996
— Best Actress
Golden Globe 1996
— Best Actor (Drama)
Golden Globe 1996
— Best Actress (Drama)
San Sebastián International Film Festival 1995
— Silver Shell – Best Performance
San Sebastián International Film Festival 1995
— Silver Shell – Best Director
San Sebastián International Film Festival 1995
— Golden Shell
Screen Actors Guild Awards 1996
— Best Actor
BAFTA 1996
— Best Actress
BAFTA 1996
— Best Actor
BAFTA 1996
— Best Adapted Screenplay
Key opinion
Leaving Las Vegas is widely regarded as a harrowing and emotionally raw masterpiece centered on the descent into addiction and unlikely companionship. While the film's unflinching portrayal of self-destruction divides viewers on its watchability, the performances of Nicolas Cage and Elisabeth Shue are almost universally acclaimed as career-best work.
| Acting | Nicolas Cage delivers an exceptionally authentic, Oscar-worthy performance that perfectly captures the physical and psychological toll of terminal alcoholism. | |
| Emotion | The film functions as a deeply somber, emotionally taxing experience that effectively forces audiences to confront the bleak realities of addiction. | |
| Acting | Elisabeth Shue provides a vulnerable and compelling counterpoint to Cage, grounding the film's darker narrative elements with her nuanced portrayal of Sera. | |
| Direction | Mike Figgis successfully utilizes atmospheric lighting and music to create a distinct, weary vision of Las Vegas that mirrors the protagonists' internal states. | |
| Pacing | While many praise the film's deliberate, contemplative pacing, some viewers find the relentless bleakness and lack of traditional catharsis repulsive or difficult to endure. | |
| Score | Opinions on the musical score are split; some find it essential to the moody atmosphere, while others feel specific stylistic choices were mismatched with the tone. |