Florida Oranges

Rating: 10/10 (5 February 2008)

Like all good trips, "Requiem for a Dream" takes us to another world. As Harry, Marion, and Sara are devoured by their addiction, they trade the bright Coney Island light for the gloom of their dusty apartments and the shady side streets of Mermaid Avenue. I rarely ache for a happy end, but in this case I did. "Requiem" is no less than a masterpiece, but it's painted in the darkest colors in the palette. Maverick director Darren Aronofsky finds new and compelling images for what drugs can do to you. He makes wide use of visual gimmicks including split screen, keyhole frames, cash-register style cross-fading, god's-eye crane shots, and image overlay. But while such gadgets often come across as strained and showy, he uses them to great advantage. Among his most haunting feats is having the actors run around with the camera strapped to their bodies, yielding a head shot that makes the characters appear strangely lifeless, like puppets on invisible strings. Shattering performances by Jared Leto and Jennifer Conelly. They make a ravishing, if ghostly couple indeed. Outstanding appearances by Ellen Burstyn and Christopher MacDonald in supporting roles. The Kronos Quartet provides a piercing score. Movies as profound and inventive as this one are hard to find.