Not sure if this movie makes me want to do drugs or abstain.

Rating: 2/10 (31 October 2010)

Let me start off by saying that I will save the spoilers for the end so feel free to read the beginning of my review.
I feel that this movie is just what Hollywood wants you to believe is realistic about drugs and the world. They also want you to believe that this movie is a good movie. It's not very realistic and is NOT a good movie. I have experienced all sorts of aspects of the drug world from user to witness of the South American effect. With that in mind, I will tell you that the movie "Traffic" is much much closer to the truth about drugs. I see way too many people saying that Requiem for a Dream is a movie to show your kids or loved ones about drugs. You must be on drugs to think that way or have not thought about how unrealistic this movie is.
Here's my issue. Unlike the movie "Traffic", this movie doesn't develop the characters. I immediately couldn't stand the mother, Harry, his girlfriend, his friend.... nobody! I couldn't really identify with them. The mother. She looked and acted like a grandmother. She seemed like far too fake of a character. I actually spent most of the movie laughing at her character. Even now my girlfriend and I crack jokes about "the refrigerator". Harry was a selfish jerk of a son who I didn't care if he lived or died. His girlfriend was never really developed throughout the movie. Too little was touched on about his friend.
Now here is where the spoilers come along.
The last half hour of the movie caused my girlfriend and I to laugh and also say "c'mon!". I have plenty of experience with people being arrested and admitted with drug problems. Not once have I seen a doctor have a severely infected patient get arrested without being taken care of. Never have I seen a patient be sent right to shock therapy because they overdosed on uppers. The mother and son could have sued and won tons of money for his arm being amputated and for her being sent through last resort mental procedures without ever going to detox. It's like this movie was meant to scare you into abstaining from drugs but at the same time causing so much laughs that you wonder if you shouldn't just do some drugs to understand what is going on. And last of all, the "ass to ass" scene. That wasn't necessary. Seriously, how many times is a druggie going to just agree to do "ass to ass" in front of a bunch of strangers for just a little bit of smack. This movie took the absolute most unlikely and worst scenario and made a movie out of it.
If you honestly think this is a good movie to persuade people not to do drugs, think again. The people who told me to watch this movie? Yes, all drug addicts. Drug addicts who aren't going to therapy. The people who told me to watch the movie "Traffic"? They were recovering addicts, addicts in therapy, addicts who had reached the end of their rope and turned back, or police officers. Do yourself a favor and don't waste your time on this movie.
This movie is just as realistic as MTV's "the Real World". Sure it seems real. But it's basically the most wacked out and unlikely scenarios being thrown into a movie. It's like someone making a movie about how you shouldn't smoke cigarettes. In this movie about cigarettes the characters die by accidentally burning down their house, starting their cars on fire, or dying of lung cancer at age 25. Or making a movie about how you shouldn't own guns and all the characters blow off their fingers and commit terrorist attacks. This movie is way over the top. So over the top that many people will laugh like I did.
Please, if you disagree, learn more about the drug world and how you can prevent your loved ones from doing drugs. Don't use this movie as a tool. Now I have to go. I think I hear.... oh my gosh!!!! The refrigerator!!!!!