In a Nutshell Masterpiece: "Requiem for a Dream" 2000 (9/10)

Rating: 9/10 (8 December 2010)

Requiem for a Dream...The psychologically disturbing path of self destruction.
Defining a cinematic genre of its own kind, Requiem for a Dream enriches you with an experience, though severely troubling, yet morally fulfilling. It tells the story of Harry (Jared Leto), his mother Sara (Ellen Burslyn), his girlfriend Marion (Jennifer Connelly) and his best friend Tyrone (Marlon Wayans); four dreamers whom drug addiction, coming in different forms, is their ultimate downward spiral.
As if actors have been casted before the story has been written, every character falls into place with its portrayer making the film as real in the viewer's eyes as it could ever be. The human desperation to become wanted and desired is vividly presented by Ellen Burslyn who performs an Oscar nominated role of a life time with a character that walks pitifully through the pathway of sanity to insanity undergoing the painful transformation from human to clown in search for a wild dream. On the other hand, Leto, Wayans and Connelly, each in his own frame succeed in playing their very intense roles compellingly.
Director and mastermind Darren Aronofsky accomplishes a tough yet a necessary mission of putting the audience in a state of acquaintanceship with the complicated characters of the movie. As the story goes on, you feel attached to them, like you're a part of the group, as if you're another junkie on quest for a sniff or a desperate old timer hallucinating from diet pills. And then, with the speedy snapshot-like frames, the split screen scenes and the shots from the characters' view angles, we see cinematography and editing giving the director a well deserved helping hand that contributes to the making of a masterpiece.
Generally in the world of film making, music has always played a huge role in creating a film's identity. However, in "Requiem for a dream" music has played the center role, the lead which everything follows. The remarkable original theme coming from composer Clint Mansell stands out as the one thing that will always remind you of this film. Throughout the movie it makes you feel that all events revolve around it. It provides quite the goose bump effect required to let the audience appreciate the dramatic depth of what they're watching. And even in scenes where the main theme is not used, deep psychedelic music plays on pushing the audience forward to a unique state of euphoria that makes them feel exactly the same way the characters do.
In a nutshell, "Requiem for a dream" is a tale of sex, drugs and shattered dreams. It is so well-woven it takes control of the viewers' mood. As dark and grim as it is, it is also inspiring in its own way. Appreciate the acting, understand the lesson and fix yourself with a stand up comedy a while after to alter back your mood.