What's so great?

Rating: 5/10 (29 May 2001)

I noticed that this movie got a high IMDB rating as well as some critical praise, so I decided to give it a shot.
Honestly? It's not anything special. It's basically a rather graphic flip-book of how drugs and addiction will destroy your life. Well duh. It wasn't emotionally evocative and didn't strike me as powerful at all, despite its explicit nature.
Also, the style would be interesting if you were a film student, but in practice it doesn't work. Audiences should be allowed to generate their own thoughts, instead of having the film beat them in through their eyeballs.
Bottom line: If you're clueless on the effects of drugs, see it. If you've seen "Pi" and like that style of film, see it. If you're looking for something that will make you laugh or cry or angry or awestruck, or something that has a story to tell, or something with characters you can relate to or empathize with, do yourself a favor and pass on "Requiem for a Dream."