Nicolas Cage portrays a man who has left his career behind to move to Las Vegas with the apparent intention of drinking himself to death. He’s an alcoholic living in Los Angeles, and once he arrives in Nevada, he encounters a sex worker—played by Elisabeth Shue—with whom he establishes a connection built on unconditional understanding, and they form a relationship founded on that acceptance. "Leaving Las Vegas," released in 1995, falls into the category of somber, realistic dramas centered around characters who are spiraling downward. It's competently made considering its subject matter, and Shue’s appearance is presented well, even given the nature of her character's work. I grasp the concept of offering a form of love that doesn’t involve judgment; still, it seems reasonable to suggest that genuine affection would resist allowing someone to self-destruct and instead encourage them toward responsibility. I recently lost a close friend who struggled with alcohol addiction, an issue that became increasingly obvious over time. I hadn't seen him for the last four years of his life because I couldn’t bear to witness him destroying himself in that way. The movie has a runtime of 1 hour and 51 minutes and was filmed in both California (Burbank and Santa Monica) and Nevada (Las Vegas, Laughlin, and Paradise). GRADE: B-/C+

Source on TMDB