Requiem for a Dream…
Requiem for a Dream. A movie about drugs but not about ‘don’t do drugs‘. The movie tells us the story of the effect of drug addiction on a human being. The story revolves around 4 human beings and the effect of drugs on their lives. Adapted from his own novel, Hubert Selby, Jr. and Aronofsky tell the tale of four lost souls trying to break away from the hole they’ve been placed in, hoping to find happiness in some sort of material possession. It may sound platitudinous, but you’ve never seen it done like this.
Harry Goldfarb (Jared Leto) and friend Tyrone (Marlon Wayans) are druggies and pushers. They have a dream to make money by selling drugs they get off of Brooklyn streets… Buy better stuff, do little crack, sell the rest, and then buy the “real” stuff. Marion (Jennifer Connelly) is Harry’s girlfriend, and when they interact, you get the feeling that they’re really in love. Their on-screen chemistry is great. She wants a happy, mapped and secured life. She has a dream to start a clothing store. Marion wants escape and independence from her parents, and the money Harry and Tyrone will score should secure it.
Lastly is Sara Goldfarb (Ellen Burstyn), Harry’s mother. He’s all she has left in the world, until she’s notified she will be called to be on a TV program. She is typical old single woman. Obsessed with TV and TV serials. She cannot let it away from her sight and has the TV chained in her house. 
Then she gets a news that she might be on TV and loses it. Starts on drugs. She has a fantasy of wearing a red dress and wants to get slim, so the drugs…
After this the movie is just about the effect of the drugs on these 4 personalities. Their desperateness and the intense emotions… The movie is cold, it does not compromise on that. You will be left with some desperation after watching the movie that’s for sure if your heart is not as cold as the movie.
About the movie OST. Brilliant. It is the soundtrack that makes the movie even more intense than it actually is. Remove the music and the effect reduces to less than 50%. Some of the scores are so beautiful and yet, are played with such intense context in the movie… It really is a piece of art and a great mastermind at work.
Make that one thing clear. The movie IS disturbing. It might give you nightmares even if you are not a 10 year old (and frankly this movie is NOT for a 10 year old. Even with the adult scenes removed. THIS IS NOT A DON’T DO DRUGS MOVIE). So, make up your mind if you really want to see it. As far as I am concerned, this is one of the best movies I have ever seen.
Rating, 10/10
This entry was posted on Saturday, September 13th, 2008 at 12:15 am and is filed under Movie, Music, Review. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
