Leaving Las Vegas

It's been a while since I watched Leaving Las Vegas last time. This is certainly not the most upbeat movie, but this is a movie that has substance. When the movie came out, most people talked about how depressing the movie is and how the movie is about a guy drinking himself to death. Yes, this is a depressing movie, and yes, the main character, Ben Sanderson played by Nicolas Cage drinks himself to death. But there is more than just that, and the movie actually has a story; the movie is not just a portrayal of a man drinking himself to death. The story has a subtle, yet strong message, and that's what makes this a good movie.

Leaving Las Vegas is the title of the movie, but Ben Sanderson does not actually leave Las Vegas; he dies there. I suppose that he leaves Las Vegas in the sense that his soul leaves Las Vegas upon his death, but one who really leaves Las Vegas is Sera played by Elisabeth Shue. Life cycles around, and there are ups and downs. Leaving Las Vegas is very much a story of two people hitting the rock bottom. One of them, in fact, does never go back up; he hits the bottom, and he just dies. However, symbolically, this ends one cycle of Sera. Her life is in a rather depressing state as well, but Ben's death actually lifts her up, and she subsequently leaves Las Vegas. So, the story is actually about cycles in life, and it is actually a story of departure, new beginning and hope. You don't get to see it like that though, since 99% of the movie is very depressing and the movie creates the depressing mood so well.