Preachy, Pretentious Filth.

Rating: 2/10 (24 September 2005)

If this had been made as an educational video to raise awareness of drugs, it may have succeeded. Although as it stands requiem for a dream is a simple, dull story which glorifies and tries to make us sympathise with some junkies and a woman obsessed with television.
Strong themes of addiction run through Requiem for a dream. Namely the drugs. Though this, which is evidently the films main attraction, becomes boring very soon. We are repeatedly treated to scenes of Marlon Wayans smoking some kind of drug and saying "righteous man, this sh*t is good." This is basically THE film. Showing addicts taking drugs.
What makes it worse is how innovative, although ultimately pretentious and drab the camera work throughout the film is. Some of the drug scenes are just close ups of pupils dilating and the sound of a lighter sparking. This looks kind of cool the first time you see it. Though by the 100th time it gets boring and a little embarrassing. Aronofskys attempt at bringing some sort of art-house chic to this boring story, totally backfires and comes across as pretentious and silly.
Aside from the in your face drug addiction, comes the main characters Mother's addiction to a television game show. This for me is the only interesting plot line in the film. Slowly her world is taken over by her preparations to appear on this show that she idolises. The film even manages to strum up some emotion, detailing the Mother's pain, disappointment and desire to be noticed. Though we don't get this story half as much as the boredom of the drug addiction, which fills most of the films running time.
I had heard a lot of people saying how shocking and disturbing this movie was. I regret to say that it was not. Its nothing but a dull, repetitive mess with very brief glimpses of quality, added in to try and interest us in a crappy story which runs out of mileage within the first half hour. Don't bother with this. It isn't clever, entertaining or good. Its true bottom of the barrel Hollywood film making, with a shiny gloss of what could be mistaken for a good movie, and a centre of preachy dumb junk. It doesn't inspire sympathy or shock, it just kills you with boredom. Utter drivel.