Not tragic, dark enough --you'll see why

Rating: 7/10 (21 August 2004)

After having read so many positive reviews about this movie, especially James Berardinelli's, I decided to take on this. The feeling afterwards is somewhat mixed and weird. As others have pointed out, I don't like so many seemingly funny gimmicks like fast forward and flashy editing. They diluted the tragical atmosphere.
Moreover, the character personality development along with addiction is poorly done. We only saw drug effects physically upon all of them, or at most a little more emotionally on the relationship between Harry and Marion, no more. Harry and Sara are in need of that kind of medications, no matter how director tried to exhibit them in a horrible way; Tyrone is basically OK except without freedom; Only from Marion the degradation of self-respect is appropriately depicted (but one could've done it more impressively). Tragedy is about interactive outcomes of personalities and drug addiction is sure to change one's personality. However, this movie only made the tragedy of drug addiction, but not that of personalities twisted by drug addiction, which is the biggest failure from my view.
I agree the director is good at filming and editing, which can't offset the paleness of plot and characters. Music is the most entertaining element of this movie. All in all, this movie could've been darker, more impressive, more thought-provoking, standing out as a tragic masterpiece in the real sense of personality tragedy, all of which haven't bee accomplished by this one. Do you want to see how addiction changes your LIFE? see this one. Do you want to see how addiction changes your PERSONALITY? The answer is not in.