Leaving Las Vegas

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2:49

Leaving Las Vegas

R

Released Oct 27, 1995

1h 51m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

91%

Tomatometer

53 Reviews

85%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

Adapted from the novel by John O'Brien, this acclaimed drama follows alcoholic screenwriter Ben Sanderson (Nicolas Cage) as he drinks himself into oblivion in Las Vegas. When Ben meets the beautiful prostitute Sera (Elisabeth Shue), they strike up an unconventional relationship -- one where she can't ask him to curb his drinking, and he can't fault her for her job. Though they offer each other support, Ben's self-destruction threatens to eclipse their bond.

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Critics Consensus

Oscar-awarded Nicolas Cage finds humanity in his character as it bleeds away in this no frills, exhilaratingly dark portrait of destruction.

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David Ansen

Newsweek

A love story like no other, Mike Figgis's Leaving Las Vegas is a bleak, mesmerizing rhapsody of self-destruction, defiantly uninterested in peddling Hollywood-style uplift.

Feb 23, 2018

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Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

This movie was like watching a car crash in slow motion. You knew there was going to be a crash, but I just wished it would just happen already, and not have spent two hours getting to the impact.

Rated: B+

Sep 12, 2017

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Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Dark and giddy at the same time, Leaving Las Vegas takes us into dreamy, intoxicated places no movie about an alcoholic has gone before.

Rated: A-

Sep 7, 2011

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Quentin Crisp

Christopher Street

It is the most boring film ever made -- worse than a documentary.

Apr 25, 2022

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Rene Rodriguez

Miami Herald

Leaving Las Vegas is a relentless downer -- look at it as a love story for anyone who found The Bridges of Madison County too precious -- but it's worth sticking through for its two lead performances.

Rated: 3/4

Aug 18, 2021

Full Review

Ben Kuchera

Polygon

The movie contains career-best performances from Nicolas Cage... and Elisabeth Shue.

Aug 4, 2020

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Landon J

Decently enjoyable in a weird way. An alright character study that does ok to deliver on it's promise of sappy and endearing love story. Unfortunately this movie does not attempt to say anything of meaning with it's long run time.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

10/31/24

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Brad M

It's ok. Elisabeth Shue is smoking hott=3rd star.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

10/23/24

Full Review

Audience Member

Outstanding performances by Elisabeth Shue and Nicholas Cage, but the movie dragged at some points for me. It was interesting to see such a beautifully toxic couple lean on each other in such different codependent ways, but their love was beautiful. The directing was solid but nothing special, the writing was good but amplified by Nick Cages performance. How did he act so perfectly drunk the whole film? Well done sir. I saw this comment on the film about how Nick cage and Elisabeth Shue’s characters basically end up in the exact same spot as the start of the film if not worse, which was brutal for the character development aspect. Yet it keeps you interested with the drama of alcoholism and prostitution. If you can enjoy a slow film, give it a watch!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/28/24

Full Review

Murray R

Elizabeth Shue. Gorgeously talented!

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

09/01/24

Full Review

Dana N

A good story and good acting destroyed by some lame attempt to turn it into some kind of music video. This isn't VH1! The background blares loudly above everything else, and the choice of songs is poor anyway. This would have been 4-5 stars if not for that.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

07/25/24

Full Review

Webb H

Depressing and frustrating, Cage and Shue expertly display how people will seemingly go out of their way to destroy any chance at happiness.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/08/24

Full Review

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Mike Figgis

Director

Nicolas Cage

Ben Sanderson

Elisabeth Shue

Sera

Julian Sands

Yuri

Richard Lewis

Peter

Valeria Golino

Terri

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Leaving Las Vegas: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Adapted from the novel by John O'Brien, this acclaimed drama follows alcoholic screenwriter Ben Sanderson (Nicolas Cage) as he drinks himself into oblivion in Las Vegas. When Ben meets the beautiful prostitute Sera (Elisabeth Shue), they strike up an unconventional relationship -- one where she can't ask him to curb his drinking, and he can't fault her for her job. Though they offer each other support, Ben's self-destruction threatens to eclipse their bond.

Director: Mike Figgis
Producer: Annie Stewart, Lila Cazès
Screenwriter: John O'Brien, Mike Figgis
Distributor: United Artists, MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc.
Production Co: Lumiere Productions, Initial Productions, Studio Canal
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 27, 1995, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 4, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $29.9M
Runtime: 1h 51m
Sound Mix: Surround

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