Disturbing, Haunting, Realistic - Amazing.

Rating: 10/10 (29 December 2006)

"Requiem For A Dream" is honestly one of the most brutal, hard-hitting movies I've ever seen. It's a different kind of movie experience, and you won't finish watching it and think, "Wow, that was great". You'll think "My God, that was devastating", and that's the real power in the film. The movie focuses on four people living in New York City - Harry Goldfarb (Jared Leto), his girlfriend Marion (Jennifer Connelly), his television-obsessed mother, Sara (Ellen Burstyn), and his best friend, Tyrone (Marlon Wayans). As each of them try and find solitude in their lives through drugs (everything from heroin, cocaine, to dieting pills), the hopes and dreams they once had began to become distorted as they focus all of their attention on feeding their addictions.
Disturbing is the main term that could be used to describe this movie, because that's exactly what it is. Watching these people go through such hell is an awful thing, but it does send a clear message, displaying the possibilities of what can happen if you seek pleasure from an addicting substance. But this is no typical drug-addiction film, it's much, much different. Don't expect your typical "teenagers addicted to drugs" fare. This movie is much better (and realistic). Aronofsky's work is extremely stylish - he uses plenty of quick, flashy imagery and tends to use speedy camera tricks that alter the audience even, as if we're experiencing what the characters are. And he's successful at it. Based on the novel by Hubert Selby Jr. (and also written by him), the screenplay is amazing. The characters and the dialog are all realistic, and the entire thing is just one bizarre experience.
The acting in the film couldn't be any better. Ellen Burstyn is mainly the lead and a lot of attention is focused on her, and she is absolutely brilliant, playing the widowed mother who is desperate for attention, and wants to wear her red dress on television. Only problem is, she needs to lose some weight, so she becomes addicted to dieting pills. She's an excellent actress and is believable as can be, her performance really shined. But the other cast members also shined. Jared Leto is the secondary lead, playing Burstyn's son, and is also great, playing a very complicated character. Jennifer Connelly plays his girlfriend, and she was also amazing - the audience can more easily be in touch with her emotions and you can feel a strong connection to her character, because she kind of becomes caught up in the middle of the drug-hustling that's being done by her boyfriend, and finds herself an addict soon after. And Marlon Wayans, who I'd only seen playing a goofy stoner in the comedy horror-spoof, "Scary Movie", was excellent in his role too, giving a surprisingly good performance as Leto's best friend/co-drug dealer.
"Requiem For A Dream" is a horrific film experience. The way the film ends will haunt you for days, and you won't forget it. It's not a movie that you can sit down and watch repeatedly, because if you did you'd feel horrible. It's an emotionally draining movie, and that's partially why it's so amazing. This film doesn't just focus solely on drugs, but it focuses strongly on how these substances affect the lives of different people, and the tragic results of their decisions. You won't want to miss this movie, but don't expect to feel good when you watch it. A must see. 10/10.