| Ben Sanderson (Cage) is a fall-down drunk who has lost his wife, child, and his job. With nothing left to lose, he moves to Las Vegas to drink himself to death, and meets Sera, a prostitute played by Elizabeth Shue. They find a special connection with each other and fall in love. Both of them are people who society doesn't accept, so they make a promise that neither of them will try to change the other.
This is a wonderful film, with both Cage and Shue giving powerful and emotional performances. This is not one of those romantic movies in which two people meet and fall in love and all of their problems disappear. Ben and Sera are two imperfect people who remain imperfect despite their love, and there are no heroes rushing in to save the day. A special emphasis is placed on Ben, who doesn't even remember why he wants to die anymore, but just knows that he wants to go through with it. Alcohol is the most powerful thing in his life, and even Sera's love isn't enough to give him the will to live.
The characters in this film are complex and well developed, with an underlying feeling sadness, vulnerability, and a sense of being lost even in their moments of happiness. Cage, who probably has the most expressive eyes in Hollywood, excels in this role. The harsh realism of this story has an intensely cathartic effect on the viewer. I've heard the scenes in which Sera addresses an unseen therapist criticized, but I think that they add to the story by giving important information and showing the emotions that Sera went through as she watched the man she loved waste away. I have nothing bad to say about this film.
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