This works out for awhile, but things get bad when their drug habits start dipping into their profits. It's painful to watch these characters fuck things up so terribly. They're just trying to find love and happiness, but don't know where to look. Sure, we've seen movies about drugs and addiction destroying lives before. It's an oft-told story, but rarely has it been pulled off with such breathtaking cinematic virtuosity.
Every scene is an exercise in style.
The way it's shot and edited enhances the emotional experience and, at times, makes it seem as if we're feeling exactly what the characters are going through. This film is beautifully made, even if the picture it paints isn't pretty. Requiem for a Dream also has an amazing soundtrack scored by Clint Mansell and performed by the Kronos Quartet. The music is absolutely beautiful and unbelievably haunting. When fused with the incredible images, the result is nothing less than a work of art.