i went into this with the understanding it was a “tom waits musical” but why did no one tell me it would just be tom waits singing songs non-diegetically? which leads me to: why did tom waits not simply star in this?? THAT is a dubious romance i would more willingly root for. but what beautiful desert sunset light!! what beautiful las vegas neon longing!!! it’s all very rapturous and all very flat. teri garr innocent. raul julia innocent. incredible tango scene! made me think of eve babitz. what was up with the eighties tango boom?