Post by rashhunt on Jan 3, 2007 13:06:10 GMT -5
From the director of Internal Affairs, comes one of Hollywood's most harrowing romances, a truly dark story of two social misbegottens and the most brutal example of unconditional love to hit the screens since Bonnie & Clyde, Before Sunrise and Cid & Nancy (and we all know how well those ended).
Nicholas Cage plays Ben Sanderson, a cat from LA who has decided to leave his life and family and move to Las Vegas to drink himself to death. The role is played with such a gravity that one might find it remarkable that it is actually Nicholas Cage on the screen who has never been so honest or quite simply, good. Elisabeth Shue plays Sera (the spelling is essential), a prostitute who early on in the film abandons her pimp and goes to stay with Ben, and this begins their romance and consequently, the spiral down.
The two promise each other never to question or attempt to disuade the other from their choice or profession, and must endure their passion even as Ben slowly wanes away because of his addiction, betraying every last bit of what would make a normal character reasonable and human.
The acting is superb and the score and music choices go together so well, creating a mood of bleakness and potent melancholy. It's not a feel good movie and it's certainly not very entertaining in terms of most romance 'comedies', but some of the lines are keepers and most of the framework and shots are incredibly memorable. Also, it questions the nature of archetypes and puts us in the shoes of two lovers we might recognize a little too well. The movie isn't much of a social commentary but definately offers an earnest and wounded perspective of a love story most studios would fail to notice. We like the characters and we want only the best, but we, like them, make a promise as the viewer, not to involve ourselves, and not to engage the discourse...and as the last scene rocks on by, our experience in Las Vegas becomes one for the books.
One of the best films ever made and my personal favourite, I'm going to give it a bias but outstanding 10 out of 10.