Very Powerful and Disturbing

Rating: 10/10 (6 December 2003)

If there ever were an anti-drug movie that would scare the living crap out of you from trying the stuff, this movie would be it. Darren Aronofsky's camerawork is so dizzying and manic that you feel like you really are viewing what the characters are going through. To make this even more effective, the score to the film, with those haunting strings, is so damn creepy, they alone would give me nightmares! My only complaint about the direction and the story is that some scenes do go a little overboard, such as the scene where the room transcends into a game show. But I guess scenes like that give you an idea of the craziness that goes on from an addict's point of view.
As for the performances, they are nothing less than stellar. Witnessing the descent of these characters is so powerful; you can't turn away for a second. Ellen Burstyn gives a much-deserved Oscar-nominated performance as an elderly woman who spirals into drug addiction simply because she wants to look her best. This can happen to anyone. It's almost chilling to think of one of my loved ones doing this. Marlon Wayans gives a very surprising and strong performance, while Jared Leto and Jennifer Connelly epitomize the carefree, loving couple that gets in way too deep. To see what happens to all these characters at the end of the movie is just disheartening.
After watching this movie, you can't help but be blown away. You want to talk about it and think about it for quite some time. Just like drugs, this film will never really leave you.
My IMDb Rating: 10/10. My Yahoo! Grade: A (Outstanding)