A total mindblowing experience

Rating: 9/10 (17 July 2001)

I don't know where to begin on this one, folks. A truly remarkable film that explores the depths of addiction from the innocent beginnings to the tragic ends. I truly defy anyone to watch this film and not be affected in some way. The film, based on the novel by Hubert Selby Jr., revolves around Harry Goldfarb (brilliantly portrayed by Jared Leto), his mother Sara (an academy award nominated performance by talented Ellen Burstyn) his girlfriend Marion (the lovely and always wonderful Jennifer Connelly) and his best friend Tyrone (a serious role for Marlon Wayans). Each of them has their own addiction - Harry and Tyrone prefer heroin and speed; Marion loves the taste of cocaine; and Harry's mother suffers from addictions that many people ignore - sweets, television and eventually diet pills. Harry and his friends decide that the best way to get the drugs and all the money they need to sell it. Everything is going fine as can be for a group of drug dealers until their personal addictions and circumstances beyond their control take their toll, spiraling the young adults into a hell specially tailored to the choices they each have made. And it is a descent that turns the stomach and makes one glad that they have never hit rock bottom this hard. Meanwhile, Harry's mother learns she has been selected to appear on television and after unsuccessfully trying to lose weight to fit into her favorite red dress, a quack of a doctor subscribes diet pills to her - potent and highly addictive uppers. As she learns how wonderful they make her feel, she slowly begins to delve into a realm schizophrenia and hallucinations that grow increasingly more disturbing and tragic at each pill she takes. The film is a wonderful follow-up to Darren Aronofsky's debut "Pi." The film moves quickly, is beautifully photographed and directed. The climax of the film is a montage of some of the most disturbing and haunting visuals ever committed to film - a powerful visual assault than drives the viewer to the edge of their own sanity. You will not forget them. The soundtrack, most of which was performed by the Kronos Quartet, is perfect from the beginning sequence (where the quartet is tuning their instruments as if to begin an actual requiem) to the end of the credits. There is not one part of this film, before and behind the camera, that doesn't seem to have a proper place. "Requiem" is as real as it gets. This is a film you experience and as some critics have said, it is a film that forces you to want to look away but you find that you can't - and don't.
The DVD contains a remarkable Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound presentation, is in widescreen formats and contains deleted scenes, an in depth audio commentary by director-co screen writer Aronofsky, the director of photography, a behind-the-scenes documentary/making of, an interview with Selby conducted by Ellen Burstyn and many more extras that make it worthy of being added to any collection.