A Gunshot to Your Brain - but a very beautiful bullet, indeed.

Rating: 10/10 (1 August 2005)

I'm going to skip the synopsis and get straight to the review - if you need the detailed background info, look at the other comments or go to the "Requiem" IMDb home page.
This movie is hands down amazing.
If you're shallow, you will watch and leave in disgust an hour or so into the movie.
If you have the capacity for engrossing, deep, personal, disturbing dramas, you will be glued to your seat in amazement.
This movie is both physically and emotionally beautiful - the directing and camera-work is unbelievably executed. The great use of editing and filming styles takes a good drug drama to an awe-inspiring one. If you're a fan of artful photography and directing your jaw will be ON THE FLOOR for the whole movie. The sheer style this movie shows is incredible, from the first moment the Summer Overture kicks in to the very last, frantic, depressing second in which the film ends.
The acting is top-notch. These might just be the roles of a lifetime for most of the actors/actresses in Requiem. It's hard to take your eyes off of Ellen Burstyn in the scenes she is in - her emotion and sincerity is great. It gets better as she falls deeper into drug addiction - her acting as a upper-junkie is mind blowing.
Jared Leto, Marlon Wayans, and Jennifer Connelly all do an amazing job in the roles that they play - the desperation and sickness comes out brilliantly for all of these actors. One of the best scenes, without a doubt, is when Harry (Jared Leto) confronts Sara (Burstyn) about her addiction to "uppers" when he realizes she's grinding her teeth - you can clearly see that Harry is distraught. It's perfect acting on both parts - many props to Jared and Ellen for that.
The climax is probably the best part of the movie. That is, of course, if you can handle it.
It is the most harrowing climax to a movie I have ever seen. That's actually an understatement.
It's disturbing, controversial, depressing, disgusting, revolting, and most of all just FRANTIC - and that's what makes it so good.
The whole thing will make your heart and mind want to burst until the last second when everything crescendos into a mass of hopelessness, and the end credits roll.
It's a moment you'll never forget.