Movie Review: “Leaving Las Vegas” (R) (1995)

A depressing film, with story centering on an undervalued and perhaps “useless” talent, this film is not for children.

With scenes of rape, oppression of people for commercial interest, sex trafficking, crude language, nudity, and violent acts, children would be potentially traumatized to watch this.

Even for adults, the content is highly depressing. However, the realism is something that an adult must confront at one point in his or her life. If not in reality, at least through watching the film.

Based on the novel by John O’Brien, the film has many artistic sequences of stellar
acting, very suitable make-up, high quality direction of the actors, high quality acting (even by small side roles), is well photographed, and is well scored.

The story opens with a successful screenwriter, happily married, who is left in a divorce.

Totally emotionally devastated and quickly becoming an alcoholic, the main character is left behind by his colleagues, loses his job, turns to incredible excesses, and portrays the abandonment; we witness the undervalued human “capital” that he quickly becomes.

Driving the point home, that divorce has terrible consequences on self esteem and works against one’s desire to cherish fidelity, the main character resolves to kill himself with liquor and prostitutes (after cashing in his last check). Sadly, I believe this is too common a story in modern day.

Burning all physical remnant of life as he once knew it, he even tosses his US passport into the fire. There is clearly a commitment on his part at that point, to die in a blaze of “glory”.

The film utilizes music of all sorts: jazz, rock, classical, and blues. Combined with artistic and sad visual arts, one really becomes “one”, immersed with the characters for the duration of the movie.

With the co-acting of character “Sera”, it becomes clear in the story sequence, that these two love one another more than anyone else seems to care.

Rather than being part of a community, the two share dying-time with one another
as they bond in the company of a shared rejection that the world has dished out unfairly to both.

A couple of scenes of prominence, portray the disregard for the characters’ intelligence.

Money, and what they can produce for other people is clearly more important to the ancillary characters’ well being, in those who gained from the exploit.

One scene that takes place in a pawn shop, clearly depicts the thesis that most people want something of value, for far less than it is actually worth. The criticism is directed at people who want “something” for “nothing”. And the film heroically depicts even the relative bad guys as being victimized by someone else.

This undervaluing of each other is not so, for the two primary characters in the story, who struggle with their respective dependencies and their emotional scars from the wrongs inflicted by other people. And, as for the main character, his addiction is overwhelming and difficult to watch. His lover “Sera” is a true heroin with incredible patience, generosity, and hope for him.

Opening with a song by singer “Sting”, the song about feeling abandoned, sets the feeling that lingers through most of the movie. With a few very tender moments of love, we’re left with just enough hope and strength to last until the end.

How it ends I won’t say. But, for anyone who has felt abandoned at any time in his or her life, or who needs a reason to learn how and why to be empathetic toward others… this is their film to see.

This is a very good film for adults to see. Or, to show your teenager before he or she has ever had a first sexual experience.