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This unlikely love story between a prostitute and an alcoholic won Nicholas Cage an Oscar for Best Actor as well as accolades from various other film festivals. Alcoholic screenwriter Ben, (Nicholas Cage) having lost his wife, child and now his job heads to Las Vegas on a mission to drink himself to death. He picks up prostitute Sera (Elizabeth Shue), they share a night together, numerous drinks and form a semblance of a relationship. She is aware of his mission, his lack of commitment and his love for alcohol which may surpass that of his feelings for her, but desperately clings to him for companionship. They form a relationship on the agreement that she will not ask him to stop drinking. The film is clouded by the halo of Ben’s alcoholism and Sera’s unhappy situation, but is lifted by the strange tenderness they share. Also starring Julian Sands and Richard Lewis.
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Collection
In ACMI's collection
Credits
Collection metadata
ACMI Identifier
308360
Language
English
Audience classification
R (18+)
Subject categories
Feature films → Feature films - United States
Food, Health, Lifestyle, Medicine, Psychology & Safety → Alcoholism
Sound/audio
Sound
Colour
Colour
Holdings
VHS; Access Print (Section 1)