Overview
A poignant tale of love and despair unfolds in the neon-lit streets of Las Vegas.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- bleak
- melancholic
- intimate
- late night viewing
- serious film discussion
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as an unflinching, emotionally powerful portrait of alcoholism and self-destruction, elevated by Nicolas Cage and Elisabeth Shue's performances.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Ben and Sera form an intimate bond while accepting his planned self-destruction and her work as a prostitute.
Ben's escalating alcoholism drives his firing, relocation, social alienation, and determination to drink himself to death.
Las Vegas casinos, hotel rooms, and the Strip frame the characters' encounters amid nightlife, prostitution, and despair.
The relationship between Ben and Sera is affectionate and sincere while remaining inseparable from grief, dependency, and hopelessness.
Films like Leaving Las Vegas, and why
The Panic in Needle Park
shared bleak romance, addiction drama, and emotionally unflinching character study
Requiem for a Dream
shared destructive dependency, intimate realism, and tragic romantic intensity
Light Sleeper
shared alienated protagonists, urban nocturnal atmosphere, and doomed romantic connection
The Last Picture Show
shared erotic drama, damaged outsiders, and raw depiction of self-destructive desire
Movie Details
- Director
- Mike Figgis
- Release Date
- 1995-10-27
- Runtime
- 111 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (1723)
Cast
- Nicolas Cage
- Elisabeth Shue
- Julian Sands
- Richard Lewis
- Steven Weber
- Kim Adams
- Emily Procter
- Stuart Regen
- Valeria Golino
- Graham Beckel
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Leaving Las Vegas about?
- In neon Las Vegas, a terminally alcoholic screenwriter and a troubled prostitute find fragile intimacy without pretending either can save the other.
- What is Leaving Las Vegas like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Leaving Las Vegas as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Leaving Las Vegas violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Leaving Las Vegas as mild.
- What did critics think of Leaving Las Vegas?
- Critics broadly praised the film as an unflinching, emotionally powerful portrait of alcoholism and self-destruction, elevated by Nicolas Cage and Elisabeth Shue's performances.
- Which films are like Leaving Las Vegas?
- Films with a similar feel include The Panic in Needle Park, Requiem for a Dream, Light Sleeper, and The Last Picture Show.
- How long is Leaving Las Vegas?
- Leaving Las Vegas runs 111 minutes.
- Where can I watch Leaving Las Vegas?
- In United States, Leaving Las Vegas streams on fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus.
