A Deeply Emotional Story About Addiction

Rating: 8/10 (8 November 2019)

"Requiem for a Dream" is a film about addiction and the capacity it has to destroy lives. The film explores this idea through the following of four different characters, addiction all gripping them and acting out its malice in distinct ways. Aronofsky produces a highly emotional snapshot into the lives of these characters, and masterful camera work and creative shots display it in full. Aronofsky's use of timelapse, close-ups, and various other imaginative tricks allow the viewer to enter the perception of a drug-fueled mind; which in turn produces greater empathy for the characters as they embark on their downfall. The world Aronofsky creates is deprived and suffocating, prompting the viewer to understand or perhaps reconcile the characters' desire to escape. The acting by Jared Leto, Ellen Burstyn, Jennifer Connelly, and Marlon Wayans are true and imbued with vehemence. "Requiem for a Dream," is a difficult movie to watch, but is worth viewing on the basis of the quality of the storytelling.