Indie Review: Requiem For A Dream (2000)

                                   This Film Is A Nightmare Rather Than A 'Dream'

                       My dad always tells me that art takes on many different forms, whether it is a painting, a song, or a movie. But when art makes you feel something when you look at or listen to it, then it has done its job. Requiem for a Dream may be a film that makes you feel teary and depressed at the end, but it is without a doubt, a film that is a masterful work of art.

                       Story:
                      Requiem for a Dream is about four interconnected people living in Brooklyn: A heroin addict named Harry (Jared Leto), his mother Sara (Ellen Burstyn), his girlfriend Marion (Jennifer Connelly), and his best friend Tyrone (Marlon Wayans), and their struggles with both addiction and crushed dreams.

                      What I Liked About It:
                     The thing that I loved the most was the performances from the four leads. Jared Leto is outstanding as Harry and seriously proves that he is as good as a versatile actor as he is a singer. Marlon Wayans seriously surprised the heck out of me with his performance. He completely ditches his brand of zany humor and gives his best performance to date in this. Jennifer Connelly is outstanding as well, but the person who delivers THE best performance in the entire film is Ellen Burstyn. She delivers such a heartbreaking performance as a woman who resorts to drugs because she feels they make it easier to get up in the morning and it makes tomorrow better, which is why many people resort to using drugs. I even remember when I first saw this movie, I thought to myself "How did she not win an Oscar?"

                    Another thing I liked was the direction from one of my favorite modern filmmakers, Darren Aronofsky. I liked how Aronofsky was as honest as possible in terms of doing a realistic portrayal of drug addiction. He doesn't have the characters say that drugs are horrible or anything like that, but he shows the audience why drugs are horrible. It may be difficult to watch for some people, but that's what goes on in real life. If you want to get your kids off drugs, then just show them this movie, spare them the lectures.

                  What I Didn't Like About It:
                  Nothing.

                  Consensus:
                 Overall, Requiem for a Dream is a visceral and heartbreaking yet artful masterpiece. It may not be a film you would want to watch again and again, but it truly is a great film. Depressing but well-made and has amazing performances from the cast.

Rating: 5/5