Leaving Las Vegas (95)

3/3/96 & 10/19/96

This was my favorite movie of 1995. I felt effectively transported to Shue and Cage's seemy Las Vegas world. Even when you know what's about to happen, a second viewing is no less powerful than the first. A unique story about nearly unconditional love between two people who arrive at an understanding more honestly than the movies have ever shown us. He's an alcoholic and she's a hooker. They need different things from each other and become a strong partnership through a deep unacknowledged understanding. The Vegas that director Figgis shows is both exotic and shockingly filthy. There are flashback scenes and there are slow motion silent scenes that make you want to stop breathing, for fear of ruining the moment. Cage and Shue work perfectly off each other. I think this film will stay with me forever.
Nicolas Cage Elisabeth Shue Julian Sands Valerie Golina Richard Lewis Steven Weber Graham Beckel Carey Lowell R. Lee Ermy Mariska Hargitay Laurie Metcalf Julian Lennon Lou Rawls Ed Lauter Music by Sting Directed by Mike Figgis
40 critics 8.5 Ebert **** Maltin ***^
~~Academy Award Nomination For Best Director For Mike Figgis
~~Academy Award Nomination For Best Adapted Screenplay For Mike Figgis
~~Academy Award Winner For Best Actor For Nicolas Cage
~~Academy Award Nomination For Best Actress For Elisabeth Shue
~~Los Angeles Critics Award For Best Picture of 1995
~~Los Angeles Critics Award For Best Director For Mike Figgis
~~Los Angeles Critics Award For Best Actor For Nicolas Cage
~~Los Angeles Critics Award For Best Actress For Elisabeth Shue
~~New York Critics Award For Best Picture of 1995
~~New York Critics Award For Best Actor For Nicolas Cage
~~Independent Spirit Award For Best Picture of 1995
~~Independent Spirit Award For Best Director For Mike Figgis
~~Independent Spirit Award For Best Actress For Elisabeth Shue
~~Independent Spirit Award For Best Cinematography For Declan Quinn
~~National Board Of Review Winner For Best Actor For Nicolas Cage
~~National Society Of Film Critics Award For Best Director For Mike Figgis
~~National Society Of Film Critics Award For Best Actor For Nicolas Cage
~~National Society Of Film Critics Award For Best Actress For Elisabeth Shue
~~Golden Globe Nomination For Best Picture of 1995
~~Golden Globe Nomination For Best Director For Mike Figgis
~~Golden Globe Winner For Best Actor For Nicolas Cage
~~Golden Globe Nomination For Best Actress For Elisabeth Shue

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