hypnotic tale of desperation

Rating: 8/10 (12 May 2008)

Requiem for a dream is a hypnotic story about four people desperately pursuing their vision of happiness. It links the lives of a lonely widowed mother, her son Harry, his girlfriend Marion, and his best friend Tyrone. Each one of them begin to fall apart largely due to drug addiction. Each one of them is on a dangerous free-fall but none of the stubborn addicts can change their habits. Shot in Coney Island, Brooklyn with a unique style and flair, Darren Aronofsky directs a very effective film. Although lead actors Jared Leto and Jennifer Connelly are good in the movie, it is Ellen Burstyn as the widowed mother who steals the show with a powerful performance. Director of photography, Matthew Libatique is on top of his game with his imagery and the musical score works perfectly with the film. Good Stuff!