pure genius

Rating: 10/10 (3 December 2001)

This is undoubtedly one of the finest films of the year. Aranofsky has managed to make a film even more technically interesting than "Pi", guaranteeing that he is ad industry force to be reckoned with. Ellen Burstyn's heart wrenching performance is her finest since "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore". That she was denied the Oscar is a travesty.
Sure the film is thematically a "Just say no" cautionary fable, but the editing and pacing fill this film with a life and vitality that belies the simplicity of the narrative. The performances are brilliant, particularly Leto and Burstyn (The mother/ son dynamic between them is just heartwrenching) and Marlon Wayans proves that he has dramatic range as an actor. This is not a film for the squeamish or the generic "Scary Movie" crowd, but if you're prepared t be challenged and engaged by the films you watch, this is one of the finest films in recent years