«Leaving Las Vegas»: An Ode to Sincerity

This is not a movie review. This is a conversation about sincerity.

Not rare, momentary bursts of frankness that sometimes visit each of us. About sincerity, as a constant state of mind, as a way of life, as in all its essence. Sincerity as a matter of life and death.

I'm sure everyone who saw this film took it ambiguously. And it is unlikely that many people liked him. And this is not surprising.

Usually people are more attracted to positive and inspiring stories about struggle and victory, about strong people who managed to overcome difficult circumstances, survive, change their lives and achieve success - to become famous, influential, rich, etc.

But this is not just a story about an alcoholic and a prostitute, about despondent and weak-willed people, indifferent to their lives.

This is a story about people who do not fit into the world around them, people "out of this world" who do not correspond to the usual and correct ideas about life and about themselves.

Nobody knows what happened to Ben. What caused his self-destruction. Yes, this is no longer interesting to anyone. Everyone sees only one thing - "Ben, you need to drink less" ..

But it's not about alcohol. Alcohol is just a small tip of a big mental iceberg, it is just a way of fulfilling a decision.

I do not believe that the choice of the main character Ben to "drink to death" was arbitrary, and was dictated only by depression and alcoholism. No, it was a conscious decision of a person who chose his own path and decided to go all the way. Die instead of living a pointless life.

Therefore, this story is about integrity.

About honesty, first of all in front of oneself. Be real, be who you are. Do not pretend that everything is fine, do not pretend that everything is fine. Do not deceive yourself that you are living when you drag out a miserable existence in a constant struggle for the meaning of every day of your strange life. A life in which there was once everything for complete happiness, and which once forever lost all meaning ..

Why? We do not know this.
Perhaps, once the innate sincerity and authenticity, which always haunted and distinguished from others, lost hope of being accepted in this twisted and incomprehensible world ..

"- Why are you drinking? Why are you killing yourself?

"Are you really interested? I don't remember, I only know that I want it .."

Many will say - stupidity. Yes, and that is also true. There are a lot of contradictory and incomprehensible things in this life, each of us has our own scale of values, our goals, our desires, our illusions ..

This is a love story.

Foolish love, love not of this world. Genuine love, in which there are no rules, promises and expectations, except for one condition - "you should never ask me to stop drinking."

This is a love story that no one sees and no one believes in, but it doesn't matter. They just feel good together. And that's all they need to truly enjoy every moment they live.

This is a story about people who do not fit into the world around them, people "out of this world" who do not correspond to the usual and correct ideas about life and about themselves.

“We both know I'm an alcoholic and I know you're a prostitute. I hope you understand that it doesn't matter to me. That doesn't mean that I don't care, or that I don't care. No, it doesn't. I just trust your choice and accept it. "

They deeply and sincerely want to help each other, but they love and respect the other's choice too much to demand from him to change himself and become what he is not. She loves him, and will not try to stop him, but will hope. And it will be near ..

This is a story about loneliness.

The two loneliness nevertheless found each other, and even if not for long, but managed to create their own world, where there is no place for falsehood, hypocrisy and selfishness, where sincerity, openness and frankness live, where love is unconditional, free and pure.

Delightful exquisite music directed by Figgis and my beloved Sting permeates the whole atmosphere of what is happening, filling it with extraordinary sensitivity, depth and authenticity.

Brilliant. Piercing. Tragic.

The film enchants with its sensitivity and depth, which is now so rarely found.

So when I'm desperate for sincerity, I watch "Leaving Las Vegas"..