A relentlessly stylized film about desperation & addiction

Rating: 8/10 (1 March 2009)

Darren Aronofsky's "Requiem for a Dream", based on the novel by Hubert Selby Jr., tells the parallel stories of a mother and son who, while initially filled with hope, begin to spiral downwards into the depths of drug addiction as their dreams are dashed.
The story is certainly not for the faint of heart. Selby & Aronofsky's screenplay pulls no punches as it chronicles the ever-worsening fates of the four main characters. However, if they wanted to engender some kind of pathos I don't think that they succeeded very well except in the case of the mother.
This may be partially due to Aronofsky's tirelessly stylized direction. The visual choices are varied, well-executed and usually fitting but I think that Aronofsky goes overboard. Overuse of the techniques that he employs calls attention to itself, thus shifting attention away from the story.
The score is also worthy of note, as it is clearly carefully crafted as well. It serves its purpose well and isn't as attention-grabbing as the visual style.
The cast sports some talented individuals, including Ellen Burstyn, who received Oscar & Golden Globe nominations for her performance. Jared Leto & Jennifer Connelly both deliver fine performances as well and Marlon Wayans gives what is easily the best performance of his career. Also notable is character actor Christopher McDonald as self-help guru Tappy Tibbons.
Ultimately, this is a film that won't appeal to all tastes due to the subject matter. I think that it is indeed well worth watching but I do wish that Aronofsky had shown some restraint instead of trying to smother us with style.