LEAVING LAS VEGAS
A film review by Mun Siong Yoong
Copyright 1996 Mun Siong Yoong
Directed by: Mike Figgis Written by: Mike Figgis, John O' Brien (novel) Produced by: Initial productions / Lumiere Pictures / MGM-UA Cast: Nicolas Cage (Ben), Elisabeth Shue (Sera), Julian Sands (Yuri). Rating: ***1/2 out of *****
LOVE AND LIQUOR SWIRL IN A MADLY INTOXICATING CONCOCTION OF TRAGIC ROMANCE
This movie's a sure-fire hit for romantic maniac-depressives. It's bleak, its leads do not philosophize from moralistic high stools and its ending does not pander to the Disney crowds. Enjoying yourself already, Bob?
Ben Sanderson (Nicolas Cage) is a previous human being who's present existence is completely fuelled by alcohol. Alcohol to him is more consuming than the air he breathes, more important than the family he no longer has and more crucial than the Hollywood screenwriting job from which he has just been fired. In a flash of insight while in one of his rare sober moments, he recognises that there is no way out of his longdrawn downward spiral. Hence, he burns all his belongings, sells all his assets and then heads for the Las Vegas, capital of self-loathing, with the specific intention of drinking himself to the grave.
At Vegas, he almost runs down a streetwalker named Sera (Elisabeth Shue), before promptly suggesting she keep him company for the night, "no sex please I'm drunk", for a princely sum of $500. Henceforth, the two social marginals hang on to each other with a poignantly warped sense of acceptance for each other. She accepts the fact that there is no recourse for the deathlock that alcohol has on him, while he understands that prostitution is just a job.
After that night, she invites him to move in with her, vodka and all, so that she might feed off whatever emotional morsels he has to offer. In the meanwhile, she steers the both of them on the course with as much semblence of a normal couple as she can possibly manage. But as it is with any realtionship whose demands on both partners increase with time, life for them is terrible difficult to steer under the haze of alcohol on one hand and with the inconvenient working hours on the other.
Much credit must go to director-screenwriter Mike Figgis (Stormy Monday, Internal Affairs) for his screen adaptation of author John O'Brian's (who killed himself a couple of weeks after clinching the film deal) autobiography. Despite the melodramatic pote ntial of the script, his cast never once wallows in the mires of self-pity but instead, goes about trying to manage their damaged lives as best as they can. Cage throws in much sincerity into his Oscar deserving role, especially at the oddly endearing mom ents when his likable character spews gems like "Looks like I'm with the right girl." when Shue presents him with a silverflask as a gift.
Still, one suspects that the sentiments of the film are somewhat exploited during the pervasive nights of quiet sobriety; with the heavy cloak of nighttime jazz inspired blues courtesy of the ever cool sounding Sting. That aside, it is also worthwhile not ing that the gritty effects via Super 16 film stock on hand held cameras contribute imensely to the film's sense of quiet, lean unsettledness.
REVIEW's rating system: * Wait for the video. ** A little creaky, but still better than staying at home with Gotcha! *** Pretty good, bring a friend. **** Amazing, potent stuff. ***** Perfection. See it twice.
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