Highly entertaining. Brutal. Beautifully made. Educational. In my mind, the perfect film...

Rating: 10/10 (18 December 2006)

I rate most films I see based upon the acting, the direction, the score, the sound, the amount I think about the film after I've seen it, how well I remember it after-wards and finally, the how much the movie effects me. I believe that a great film satisfies all of those. I have seen about three films in my life (Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, Donnie Darko and Lantana) which satisfy all of these categories, and I was really beginning to wonder whether or not I could come across one which I thought was perfect...
I watched Requiem For A Dream about a week ago when I had chickenpox, and just as I am when I watch any film of its caliber, I was cautious. But it did something to me which no other film ever has and probably ever will. It left me so amazed, shocked, terrified, saddened and intrigued that I proceeded to watch it another three times after-wards before I couldn't watch it anymore...
It has a brilliant ensemble cast, probably the best I've ever seen in a film. Ellen Burnstyn had me crying quite hard by the end as I watched her truly sweet and charming character of Sara Goldfarb slowly deteriorate because of an addiction. I cannot believe she was denied an Oscar for this role, because it's among the best on-screen performances I've ever seen.
It would be a crime in my mind to not commend Jared Leto on his performance. The job he does in the film seems to be quite underrated, but his role as Harry Goldfarb came out as my favourite character. His acting is superb in all senses, and its clear to me that his research into the role paid off. Big time. Because he's put me off drugs of all forms with his depiction of an addict.
Jennifer Connely could've very easily made her character of Marion Silver a melodramatic, difficult to watch hunk of s***, but thank the good lord she didn't. It takes a great actor to walk the fine line between real and fake, and she does it so wonderfully well. She may have been playing a supporting role, but it never seemed that way to me. Her performance will stay with me for a long time to come.
Before this film, I didn't know who Marlon Wayans was or what his filmography was like. But I finished this film amazed at the performance he gave, and the fact that he managed to make me remember his character of Tyrone C Love (who I believe I could've easily forgotten if it had've been played wrong). Amazingly well done.
The directing is nothing short of amazing. Darren Aronofsky creates an excellent mood, making great use of cameras mounted to the actors, hallucination sequences, split camera shots and shows he his artistic sense in a brilliant montage at the end of the film, which was one of my highlights, and the score is beautiful, and makes the mood even more hostile at times.
All up, Requiem For A Dream is not for the squeamish or faint of heart, but it's a film that everyone should see at some time in their lives. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that you may never see another film that leaves you more scared, shocked and effected mentally than Requiem For A Dream.
For that reason I give it 10/10. I loved it...
Sincerely, Dave Ward.