Totally absorbing, gut wrenching drama and one of the best movies I've seen in recent years.

Rating: 10/10 (16 November 2001)

"Requiem for a Dream" is so powerful, so shocking and so... so good that it's pretty much impossible to summarize. It examines people, their addictions and their dreams and has been brought to life with an aura of pure surreal reality (you'll understand if you see it) by "Pi" director Darren Aronofsky from Hubert Selby Jr.'s novel.
The movie tells the story Sara Goldfarb (Ellen Burstyn), her son Harry (Jared Leto), Harry's girlfriend Marion (Jennifer Connelly) and Harry's best friend Tyrone (Marlon Wayans)and how they separately and simultaneously spiral down the pit of drug addiction. Good performances all around, but Burstyn is a virtuoso as always.
I don't want to give away too much of the plot, that might take away from the impact. The movie follows the characters in their inevitable descent and each character shows us a major way addiction can destroy you; whether it be in a physical, mental, personal or social sense.
Some people have criticised Aronofsky's use of "showy" techniques. This is just plain stupid and the wide range of visual effects used in "Requiem" is one of the most important parts of the movie. They bring us right in with the story, the action and, most importantly, the characters. When Sara is hallucinating and freaking out, so are we. The visuals also sort of numb the audience, the same way the characters are numb to what's happening around them. In short: the viewer becomes one with Sara, Harry, Marion and Tyrone.
I can't tell you how much I love this movie. I've seen it so many times and since the first time I saw it, it's been that movie that I'm forcing everyone to watch. Say what you want about "Requiem," this is theatrical genius that we rarely see in a movie jungle of blockbusters. Aronofsky has managed to show us the human soul as honestly and as raw as anybody ever could. I look forward to what comes from Aronofsky in the future and to seeing "Requiem for a Dream" again with great anticipation.