A glimpse of the dark side

Rating: 8/10 (16 May 2015)

In a time with media depictions of lives and lifestyles with relatively unproblematic views of drugs and their effects on individuals and society, Requiem for a Dream captures the other side and its imprisoning darkness. With increasing force, this movie beats at you with such intensity and emotion that you want to curl up and avert your gaze, and at some points I almost did. At the same time, it had me hooked, especially through the use of extraordinary cinematography and accompanying score. If you are prone to empathising with your characters, it is not going to brighten your day, but it will surely make you feel, think and wish to intervene, while repeatedly denying you just that. In a way, the movie is like the world it portrays - an emotional, unrelenting and unforgiving experience.