Leaving Las Vegas Movie Review

As Miss Jean Brodie would say, “For those who like that sort of thing, that is the sort of thing they like.” Before I'd re-evaluate this downer, I'd do the following, and all on the same day: (1) take care of that root canal, (2) squirm through a tetanus shot, and (3) look up that kid from fourth grade who used to pull up his eyelids to show us what was underneath. Note: Nicolas Cage and Elisabeth Shue are the healthiest, most athletic-looking dissolutes we've seen to date. (Check out their shoulder blades.)

1995 (R) 120m/C Nicolas Cage, Elisabeth Shue, Julian Sands, Laurie Metcalf, David Brisbin, Richard Lewis, Valeria Golino, Steven Weber; D: Mike Figgis; W: Mike Figgis; C: Declan Quinn; M: Mike Figgis. Academy Awards ‘95: Best Actor (Cage); Golden Globe Awards ‘96: Best Actor-Drama (Cage); Independent Spirit Awards ‘96: Best Actress (Shue), Best Cinematography, Best Director (Figgis), Best Film; Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards ‘95: Best Actor (Cage), Best Actress (Shue), Best Director (Figgis), Best Film; National Board of Review Awards ‘95: Best Actor (Cage); New York Film Critics Awards ‘95: Best Actor (Cage), Best Film; National Society of Film Critics Awards ‘95: Best Actor (Cage), Best Actress (Shue), Best Director (Figgis); Screen Actors Guild Award ‘95: Best Actor (Cage); Nominations: Academy Awards ‘95: Best Actress (Shue), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Director (Figgis); British Academy Awards ‘95: Best Actor (Cage), Best Actress (Shue), Best Adapted Screenplay; Directors Guild of America Awards ‘95: Best Director (Figgis); Golden Globe Awards ‘96: Best Actress-Drama (Shue), Best Director (Figgis), Best Film—Drama; Independent Spirit Awards ‘96: Best Actor (Cage), Best Screenplay; Screen Actors Guild Award ‘95: Best Actress (Shue); Writers Guild of America ‘95: Best Adapted Screenplay. VHS, LV, Closed Caption, DVD