Loved Nic Cage in 'Spider-Noir'? Watch His Most Heart-Wrenching Movie That Won Him an Oscar

If you recently watched Spider-Noir and marveled at Nicolas Cage's dark charm as the battered detective, now's the time to discover his most poignant dramatic work.

Leaving Las Vegas, a 1995 cult classic, earned the actor his only Oscar to date. Based on John O'Brien's novel, the film remains one of the most honest and heartbreaking stories of addiction, loneliness, and doomed love.

What Is 'Leaving Las Vegas' About?

The story centers on Ben, an alcoholic Hollywood screenwriter whose life has fallen apart. After a prolonged drinking binge ruins his career at a major firm, he decides to destroy everything that connects him to his past.

He heads to Las Vegas, a glittering, sinful city, with one goal: to drink himself to death. There, amid the city's nightlife, he meets Sera, a sex worker who is more attentive and warmhearted than any psychiatrist.

A fragile and almost doomed bond develops between them. They find strange solace in each other, but as the story unfolds, they become increasingly wounded.

'Leaving Las Vegas' Earned Nicolas Cage an Oscar, Thanks to His Extensive Preparation for the Role

The role of a hardened alcoholic could have been just another cliché, but Cage approached it with frightening seriousness. He didn't just want to play well, he wanted to play perfectly – so he used himself as a model.

For two weeks, he drank heavily while a friend filmed him. He later used this footage as a template for his portrayal of a drunk. Cage also visited specialized treatment centers and interviewed patients about their lives.

On set, the actor almost didn't appear sober – rehearsals revealed that when he was under the influence, he acquired a unique flexibility, grace, and diction that perfectly conveyed the character's personality.

Director Mike Figgis allowed Cage to use "doping," and this boldness benefited the film. Elisabeth Shue also approached her role seriously but limited herself to interviews with sex workers.

'Leaving Las Vegas' Is One of the Most Honest and Heartbreaking Films About Addiction & Sex Work

Leaving Las Vegas is one of the few movies that doesn't romanticize sex work or alcohol addiction. It's difficult to think of another film that portrays these vices as ugly and unbearable as this one does.

They literally kill, even when the characters seem to see the light momentarily – the guillotine is already raised, and there's no escape in sight. The movie exposes the unpleasant underbelly of a codependent relationship, making you want to escape.

That's why many viewers, having experienced such intense emotions, are reluctant to revisit it. Nevertheless, Leaving Las Vegas remains one of the most significant works of Cage's career.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Leaving Las Vegas'?

• Leaving Las Vegas has 91% from critics and 85% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the movie has a score of 7.5/10.

• On Letterboxd, Leaving Las Vegas scored 3.7/5.0.

Where to Watch 'Leaving Las Vegas'?

Leaving Las Vegas is available to stream on MGM+.