MovieChat Forums > Leaving Las Vegas (1996) Discussion > Why doesn't he just shoot himself in the...

Why doesn't he just shoot himself in the head?

posted 10 years ago by Bronte_Sista
7 replies | jump to latest

So we know that this isn't really a film about alcoholism and addiction. It's a film about a slow suicide that is sort of interrupted by a love story. He never ever seriously entertains the idea of trying to heal himself. I guess I'm wondering if others see him more as a foil or a plot device than an actual character, by character I mean someone who is capable of change--whether or not he actually chooses to change. To me the story is really about Sera. If he is really a character, then what keeps him from simply shooting himself in the head? Why does he drag out his suicide?

[–] WhenGreyjoysCry 10 years ago

Because he doesn't really want to die. What he really wants is to drink, and if dying is a consequence of that, then so be it.

"Gold buys a mans silence for a time. A bolt to the heart buys it forever"

[–] zensixties 10 years ago

Bronte, I assume you aren't aware that this was an autobiographical novel by John O'Brien, would did commit suicide by the method you suggest two weeks after selling the movie rights.

For who would bear the whips and scorns of Hollywood... (;-p)

[–] BoogieKnight 10 years ago

"Because he doesn't really want to die. What he really wants is to drink, and if dying is a consequence of that, then so be it."

That description is more apt to someone like Charles Bukowski. The way Ben drinks is to enjoy it and go out how he wants to go out, if he didn't want to kill himself he wouldn't be forcing himself to down as much as possible while remaining conscious. The character has accepted his addiction, embraced it, wants his addiction to take him, and to die from his addiction, not live as long as possible while being a constant drunkard. The movie is about unconditional acceptance. No silver linings, no last act changes of heart. That's why it remains so great.

[–] metallicaddict58 10 years ago

Eric Clapton said his alcoholism was the only thing keeping him alive at that point in his life,cos he knew if he died he wouldnt be able to have another drink,this is how addiction goes,now if Ben suddenly ran out of booze and hadno money and was unable to rob somebody a)He would likely die from alcohol withdrawalb)he would try to kill himself in some way,probably hanging

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[–] FEL123_2000 9 years ago

I always took it to mean that he wanted to punish himself due to self-hatred, rather than to die quickly and easily.