Movies like Leaving Las Vegas

An intense dive into the lives of four individuals struggling with addiction, Requiem for a Dream presents a gritty, unflinching look at the consequences of substance abuse. Fans of Leaving Las Vegas will appreciate the similar themes of dependency and the spiraling descent into despair.

Flight stars Denzel Washington as an airline pilot who saves a flight from crashing, but an investigation into the malfunctions reveals his alcoholism and drug addiction. The lead character's struggles with substance abuse and redemption will strike a chord with viewers who appreciate Leaving Las Vegas.

Trainspotting is a dark comedy-drama that follows a group of heroin addicts in a late 1980s economically depressed area of Edinburgh and their misadventures. Much like Leaving Las Vegas, the movie offers a stark look at addiction and its attendant lifestyle without the gloss or romanticism often found in Hollywood portrayals.

The Basketball Diaries follows the true-life story of Jim Carroll, portraying his tumultuous teenage years of drug addiction and his fall from promising high school basketball star to street hustler. Like Leaving Las Vegas, this film explores the dark side of addiction with a powerful performance from its lead actor.

The Wrestler presents a washed-up professional wrestler attempting to cope with life outside the ring, battling with his health, estrangement from his daughter, and an inability to escape his past glories. It's a compelling character study that resonates with Leaving Las Vegas in terms of its portrayal of complex, flawed characters.

Exploring the life of a drunkard poet, Barfly delves into the day-to-day existence of a man who spends his life in bars. Those interested in Leaving Las Vegas' portrayal of alcoholism and its impact on relationships will find Barfly to be a similar journey.

In Half Nelson, a middle-school teacher forms an unlikely friendship with one of his students after she discovers his drug addiction. The film's raw, emotional narrative and complex characters grappling with addiction will resonate with fans of Leaving Las Vegas.

Clean and Sober is about a real estate agent who comes to terms with his addiction issues in a twelve-step program after a turbulent series of events. Audiences who found the raw and honest depiction of addiction in Leaving Las Vegas gripping will likely be moved by Clean and Sober's similar themes and subject matter.