A Hard-Hitting Subjective Film that Shows Us the Horrors of Drug Abuse

Rating: Null/10 (11 January 2007)

Darren Aronofsky's second and most powerful film, 'Requiem For a Dream', deals with a group of three friends and a sweet old lady who get hooked onto drugs and begin to abuse them, leading to horrendous consequences.
Ellen Burstyn plays Sara Goldfarb, a plump and friendly gal showing her old age and overweight-ness. She is a television-and-choco-holic, who takes to watching a continuous infomercial about improving your life. Her son, Harry--played by Jared Leto--is a junkie of sorts, who resorts to stealing her television every week or so. He hauls it on down to the pawnbroker (in one of the most beautiful title sequences I've seen) with the help of his friend, Tyrone C. Love. They get their cash, they get their pot.
However, these two men are humans. Both have a love interest. Marion Silver, played by Jennefer Connelly, is Harry's girlfriend. They love each other in a very real and heartbreaking way. Tyrone has his woman as well, although we don't get to know her very well through the course of the movie.
But things begin to spiral out of control. Sara is tricked by a telemarketer into thinking that she could appear on the Tappy Tibbons show that she watches so much. She obsesses about adorning her red dress--but it won't zip up all the way. So she seeks a doctor about some weight pills. Thus begins Sara's disintegration.
Marion and Harry, on the other hand, are dreaming about opening a clothing store. Harry sees that if he gets money from the drugs he has, they could scrounge up enough to open their business together, along with the help of Tyrone. But they get hooked on the pot--and here begins their story.
All of this comes crashing down in one of the most gut-wrenching climaxes in movie history.
Aronofsky's use of subjective imagery, camera speed techniques, and fast cutting gets us deep into the heads of our characters. Characters that, in fact, we are with all the way through. His images portray an accurate and miserable world of drug addiction, sexuality, and desperation. Mattew Libatique uses hue change and color filters to give us different feelings throughout the three different seasons (or acts) of the movie.
The performances by the actors are absolutely flabbergasting. Ellen Burstyn's Acadamy Award loss was, perhaps, a crime. Her performance was so powerful and radiated sympathy for her character, the sweet and lovable Mrs. Goldfarb. It is truly frightening to see what she is reduced to by the end of the film. Jared Leto and Jennefer Connely give all-star performances as well. They are truly in love during this movie. They convey such realism. You identify with them from the start. Marlon Wayans also acts very well in here, too--proving that he can do more than stupid comedies. His dramatic acting is astounding to see, especially if you watch 'Little Man' right before this.
An honorable mention goes to Mr. Clint Mansell, the composer, as well as the Kronos Quartet, for delivering one hell of an emotional score. It is currently a very popular soundtrack, and rightfully so.
Overall, this is a hard-hitting and on-the-nose kind of film that only comes along once in a while. Kudos to the actors, the director, and to Mr. Hubert Selby Jr. for writing this beautifully sad story.