Leaving Las Vegas

This is a film I've watched many a time. I don't know why it wasn't in my top 10, probably because it's difficult to leave out the one's that are already there.

I'd really like to hear from anyone who has watched this Movie and their thoughts? Was it Elizabeth Shue's best performance? Was it realistic? Did you think it was a love story?

I so I open this thread up for discussion or just plain bagging out of Nicholas Cage.

Yeah, it's a love story. By accepting and loving him, she turns an important corner in her own personal development. The title refers to his suicide: death by drink. But in her case, it refers to recognizing her own self-loathing and being able to love herself enough to leave behind her self-destructive life path.

The story is interspersed with shots of her talking to her therapist. So I'm guessing she's just understood this revelation and about to change her life for the better.

BTW, Great scenes where he unloads his liquor bottles. Wow, this man is a serious drinker.
Or when She gives him a flask as a gift. Wow, what an enabler!

"Wow, this man is a serious drinker" That's an understatement! I always had a thing for Elizabeth Shue since Karate Kid & Cocktail. She can enable me all she wants..

Just watched this movie, overall a pretty sad movie, but it is well acted. Did Cage deserve the Oscar? It was close to a performance of Milland in Lost Weekend. That remains to be seen from me, I thought Shue gave a good performance as well though

This is a very personal movie for me on many different levels and is very realistic. It's a love story, but more than that it's about 2 lost souls who find comfort in meeting someone who won't judge them. They have a very strong bond because they are basically good people that life has steered wrong for one reason or another. They understand each other because of each other's problems, where as the rest of the world will shun them.

Cage won, it came out the year after Gump

I think it is a brilliant movie. It is all about judgement of others. Bad circumstances. Ability and inability of dealing with one's past. For me, I really cant think of a better way to go. Given the circumstances of Cage's character. Why the hell not. Everybody gets tired of all the BS we don't have any control over. Sensitive people just can't deal. We get tired. The work isn't worth it anymore if no one loves us. No more purpose.