Haunting Performance by Ellen Burstyn

Rating: 10/10 (15 October 2005)

"Requiem For A Dream" is haunting, brutally honest and raw. The four characters in this film have dreams: Harry (Jared Leto) and Tyrone (Marlon Wayans, in a surprising dramatic turn)want to make the big time, making lots of money and having a good time doing it. Harry's girlfriend Marion (Jennifer Connelly)wants to succeed as well. They do this by selling heroin, making lots and lots of money.
Meanwhile, Harry's mother Sara (Ellen Burstyn)is a widow who spends her days sitting outside with her elderly friends and watches the Tappy Tibbons show. She soon gets the opportunity to appear on the show and,wanting to wear a red dress that she wore years ago, starts taking pills to help her lose weight.
Soon, these four people take the proverbial highway to hell: Their addictions start to slowly destroy their lives. Harry and Tyrone are so heavily addicted that they soon lose their money; Marion soon becomes a drug whore to sustain her habit, and Sara becomes incredibly shaky and paranoid (Her fridge is always after her). Their dreams are long gone. The only thing that is important is to get their next fix.
All of the performances in the film (To this day, I am shocked by Marlon Wayans performance. Riveting!). But it is Burstyn's performance (Sadly, she didn't win the Oscar for it) as Sara who draws you in. You can understand the reason for her addiction: she is old, alone and fat. She gets an opportunity to be happy again in the form of the pills. But she pays a steep price for her happiness (As do Harry, Tyrone and Marion).
If you want to scare someone who has a serious drug problem, then this film will do the job.
There is also an unrated version (Which is just a tad more shocking). A must have in your collection.