[Happy Boy]

Just watched this tonight. Watched it years and years ago when it first came out and I was only 12 or 13, didnt mean all that much to me at the time and I kinda overlooked it. Something made me think of it the other day and so I got it.

Tough going to watch. Very well done, but I kinda feel the same way I did after I watched Requiem For A Dream the first time, although less dramatic.

For anyone that hasnt seen it, its about a degenerate alco who gives up on life and leaves his LA home to move to Vegas to drink himself to death. Randomly meets a prostitute and they strike up an unlikely relationship.

Beautifully acted from both Nicholas Cage and Elizabeth Shue, and a very nice insight into acceptance and how they could overlook and accept the bad to give each other a shot at some happiness.

Great casting too, Elizabeth Shue has a pretty but down to earth face with very kind of honest and genuine eyes, and the scenes of her caring for him when he is struggling are very moving, and her down times are hard to watch when she is being degraded at times throughout the film. Cage played a drunk marvelously, really captured the tragedy in those people's lives with the flamboyant and OTT faux-highs followed by the brutal lows like when he got kicked from the blackjack table or the painful scene when he ignores her cooking and goes to the fridge for the vodka.

Vegas is shown in its true light here too in this film. There is no glitz and glamour, its shown as seedy, desperate and horrible with a score of blues accommodating the scenes throughout. One of the few times Ive seen it shown this way, usually its shown in the Ocean's 11 manner, this film focuses on the horrible end of Vegas, adds to the effect.

Overall, a painful film and the happy ending never arrives. They get tiny and ironic highs followed by crushing lows, like when they are in the poolside and enjoying themselves, and maybe they can get some joy and have a lustful encounter and have some form of unifying experience and escape, and Cage falls through the table and its ruined. Shue acted well there, the look of beleaguered pain on her face as the owner just calmly tears her down said it all.

Anyone wish to say something about this film?

I just read that the man who wrote the book on which the film was based committed suicide on finding out that it was to be made into a film. Apparently the book he wrote was semi-autobiographical of his own struggle with alcohol, could have been too much for him to see it made into a film.

[Happy Boy]

TTT, someone must have seen it!!

[Matt4786]

Never saw it, but my mom says it's good. I liked your review so maybe I'll check it out since I love gritty and morbid themes. I am finding it increasingly hard to watch entire movies nowadays though; it's hard to even watch an hour long TV program.

[Happy Boy]

Originally Posted by Matt4786

Never saw it, but my mom says it's good. I liked your review so maybe I'll check it out since I love gritty and morbid themes. I am finding it increasingly hard to watch entire movies nowadays though; it's hard to even watch an hour long TV program.

This one will keep you watching, you probably wont enjoy it really but if you appreciate good films you'll really like the way its made, shot, acted and the way it make you feel certain ways. Very skillfully done.

[MyCatIsFat]

I just watched this yesterday...coincidence? I think not. I actually dig these dark, depressing movies. It makes me really think about life. The movie overall was good, but the ending was a little to unbelievable for me.

[endurance]

I will have to watch this tonight.

[Bathwater]

EDIT: Potential spoiler in this post. Sorry guys.







I watched it a few years ago back when I was depressed and during which time I related a lot to movies and books with self destructive themes. I enjoyed it and found something romantic about the idea of running off and drinking yourself to death.

A serious sidenote: I thought it was unrealistic that even though he was gravely ill within an inch of death he somehow managed to get wood.

[Lubaolong]

I did a prose piece from Leaving Las Vegas one year on the speech & debate team in college. My Christian fundamentalist family found my little black folder and threw a fit about the "filth" and demanded an explanation. They refused to believe it came from the college. Lol. Finally after convincing them I was telling the truth, they called the dean to complain. :/

[Happy Boy]

Originally Posted by MyCatIsFat

I just watched this yesterday...coincidence? I think not. I actually dig these dark, depressing movies. It makes me really think about life. The movie overall was good, but the ending was a little to unbelievable for me.

Yeah, the ending was a little bit of a disappointment, it was very symbolic and high brow but they could have had a more basic one and made a better point without doing it that way.

[Happy Boy]

Originally Posted by Lubaolong

I did a prose piece from Leaving Las Vegas one year on the speech & debate team in college. My Christian fundamentalist family found my little black folder and threw a fit about the "filth" and demanded an explanation. They refused to believe it came from the college. Lol. Finally after convincing them I was telling the truth, they called the dean to complain. :/

Thats ridiculous, this is a real film about real life issues and suffering, nothing in that should be ignored by Christians.