Requiem for a Dream [2000]

One of the first movies to really change the societies attitude towards drugs is also one of the best movies on a subject. Exploring addiction in its pure form is something that’s intensely thought-provoking. Requiem for a Dream is a very hard movie to watch, depicting lives of four drug addicts and their downward spiral into emptiness. Along with their miserable lives, this movie also critics American society, television and drugs in general. I think that the thing that gets you appears just as the credits are rolling. Fucking introspective. As someone who dabbled with a drug or two, it was almost paralyzing to see the lives of these young people play out in a way that your life might have played out. I especially liked the accentuated link between compulsive eating and drug abuse, proving that all addictions are the same. Eating is necessary for survival, compulsive eating will kill you and drugs can be used as medicine or for fun but drug abuse will most definitely kill you.

The term kill is usually used lightly, and only when put in proper perspective it shows the horrible devastation that murder by addiction leaves in its wake. Not only you will be physically dead, but all of your relationships (partner, family, friends…) will be dead. Even their memories will be of you stealing their shit or just being a general cunt.

Much like Kids and unlike The Trainspotting that had more humorous view on drugs, this movie is something that is the ultimate deterrent from drugs. Trying to break their chains with this habit and to live a life at the same time is hard thing to do. Magnificent performances from all actors, especially Marlon Wayans. He really showed his acting skills in this flick. So get ready for some really fucked up movies. Enjoy, or try to enjoy.

Director: Darren Aronofsky

Cast: Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly, Marlon Wayans, Christopher McDonald

Fun Stuff: Director Darren Aronofsky asked Jared Leto and Marlon Wayans to avoid sex and sugar for a period of 30 days in order to better understand an overwhelming craving.

Rating:

IMDb Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0180093/