Rating: 
Summary: Birth Of A Nightmare
Review: Director Darren Aronofsky ("PI") has brought together a story of four people full of hope and allows them to slowly disintegrate into helpless shells. The director's trick is that you continue to care about these characters throughout the film - not an easy feat. Leto and Wayans (a nice dramatic turn for the comedian) are best friends caught up in heroin addiction. Connelly is Leto's girlfriend who has her own problem with cocaine. Throw in Leto's Mom, Ellen Burstyn and you have an unlikely collection of likeable people on their way towards self destruction. We already know that all the characters are going to end up in hell or worse, but it's the way that the Director shows the quick and varied descent of each one that makes watching a car wreck seem like kids stuff.Leto and Wayans end results are just as horrific as Connelly's final wasteland. In fact, in this unedited version, Connelly has some nasty final punishment come her way. Burstyn is the stand out performer here; with speed (diet pills) induced hallucinations and gritty realistic acting. What starts out as a simple wish to fit into her favorite old dress turns into insane sequences of distorted reality and terrifying delusions (imagine a killer refrigerator threatening her - it's so real, it's uncanny). Aronofsky's techniques are amazing, with fast cut editing and speed filled action sequences that instill the mood of a nightmare sequence. There is simply too much symbolism, imagery and artistic endeavor to list here other than to say the scenes are breathtaking. The dialogue and interaction between characters is genuine and each scene is carefully orchestrated to balance reality from fiction. It's a hell of a story and a nasty ride, but worth every cinematic moment. There are plenty of extras like Director's commentary (really nice feature), a making of featurette and deleted scenes.
Rating: 
Summary: Into the Mind of an Addict
Review: This movie is a stunningly amazing film, that actually takes you into the mind, of a drug addict. With the camera shots and angles it twists your mind and suddenly you have the eyes of the characters. You feel the pain of the needles and feel the fear and hopelessness doom of the characters. The loneliness of the mother and her longing to do something meaningful in her average boring life. The dreams of them all to just be happy comes into your view with the brilliant cinematography. Down to the dilating eyes, the breathes they take, and the anxious and jittery restlessness of the mother. Everything was perfectly executed up to the delusions of the mother, up to the desperate and unsteady personalizes of the kids by there confrontations with danger and drastic actions to keep up the habit. The only thing that wasn't accurate was the ECT treatments that the mother received. Nowadays, a person receiving ECT will be put out, or put to sleep, and only there toes convulse. This attempt to make the viewer feel pity for the convulsing mother was irking. But in all, This movie accomplishes what I believe it was trying to do, it makes you feel how it is to be a drug addict, and in turn, you won't even want to pick up that prescription you had refilled.
Rating:
Summary: Oh My Gosh.
Review: I am in total shock. I just watched this film for the first time a few minutes ago and it's almost 3am. Whoa. That was the most depressing film I have ever seen. The realty and drama was horrifying. This people is a PERFECT example to not take drugs!! Sheesh. Why would anyone even think about touching a drug after watching this. It makes u wonder why people try drugs to begin with. It ends up with nothing good. It just gets worse and worse. If you havent seen it, you should at least see it once. It made me think twice about taking pain medicine ever again. Good Lord! The acting in this film was superb. Jared Leto gives a great performance. This movie reminded me of The Basketball Diaries about a boy hooked on drugs played by Leonardo DeCaprio. Which is also a great movie. Although depressing, it's enetertaining, with a good ending.(However, Basketball Diaries was a true story I believe) This movie was made after a novel. I am not sure it this was a true story. I wouldnt doubt it. It's message. Probably JUST SAY NO!!!
Rating:
Summary: Almost Had Me There
Review: For about one hour and forty minutes, Requiem for a Dream was the most harrowing - and entertaining - drug movie I'd ever seen. The solid story of four intersecting lives in a rapid descent to hardcore drug addiction, performed to perfection by all the actors, combined with truly original and dazzling imagery as the camera concentrated on those moments when the fix comes in. I cared about these people. And then the screenplay committed the cardinal sin: ripped my willing suspension of disbelief into shreds when one lead character was in need of immediate medical attention and instead was given grounds for a major lawsuit (not giving away the spoiler for those who haven't seen it). In that moment, Requiem went from being a brilliant film to being the best-produced Partners for a Drug Free America commercial, ever.
Rating:
Summary: A masterpiece!!!
Review: This is not a happy movie, and there are no upper moments in this film either. It is a steady discend to the abyss of hell. This picture is a powerful and direct example of what drug addiction will do to a person. Great acting, great score, simply great. Overall: EXCELLENT.
Rating:
Summary: Stunning.
Review: Pure artistry. One of the best films ever made. This is what moviemaking is all about. Everyone needs to see this film. Don't wait. Drop everything and seek it out now. It is that important. It is that good. You'll never forget it, you'll never be the same again. This movie will change you.
Rating:
Summary: Totally Flawless
Review: This powerful story of four lives going on a downward spiral is gauranteed not to disappoint any viewer. Darren Aronofsky delivers a message that i have never seen in a movie before. Addiction can be anything, and it can happen to anybody. A son, his best friend, and his girlfriend, have dreams of making it big, but quickly find out that their drug addiction is sending them in the wrong direction. And a mother who goes from trying to lose weight to trying NOT to lose her mind. This movie is up there with the best i have ever seen, and it will leave a lasting mark on anyone who watches it. This movie is gripping, shocking, and shows the absolute cold hard truth of what goes on in the world every day. Even tough the general topic has been the plot of many movies in the past, Requiem for a Dream is truly one of a kind!
Rating:
Summary: THIS is It....skip Trainspotting.
Review: As a former addict/drug abuser this is it. The most realistic depiction of addiction I've ever seen on film. Never want to see it again. It was a flashback to the horror, the black creeping death, the living breathing nightmare I never EVER EVER EVER want to experience again. It IS Hell. A shocking and nauseating reminder, and I truly cannot thank the director of this film enough for that. He's done us all a real service by making this movie, trust me. If you've got a friend toying with the idea of playing with needles or whatever other strange addictive object, tie them up, put tape on their lids to keep their eyes open, and
MAKE THEM WATCH THIS FILM.
Rating:
Summary: This movie blew me away!!
Review: "Requiem for a Dream" shows the lives of four characters and their addictions. It is summertime in Coney Island, NY and there is a sweet and lonely widow named Sarah Goldfarb ( Ellen Burstyn)that lives by herself. Her favorite TV game show is hosted by Tabby Timmons (Christopher McDonald). Sarah receives a phony call from the show telling her that she is going to be the next contestant. Sarah feels that she has to lose weight to fit into her favorite red dress, so that she can look good for the show. Sara visits her local doctor, who prescribes her diet pills that work miraculously. Unfortunately, the pills turn out to be amphetamines. Sarah's son Harry(Jared Leto) and his best friend Tyrone(Marlon Wayans) are heroine addicts that spend all of their time either consuming , or selling to maintain their habbit. However, when their supply is cut off, Harry and Tyrone run into a fatal losing streak that manages to take Harry's girlfriend Marion(Jennifer Connely) down with them. Now all four characters must try and regain control of their lives. "Requiem For a Dream" offers the most realistic look at addiction that I have ever seen. The story is emotional and hard hitting, going back and forth between Sarah and Harry and company. The film is shot brilliantly. The actual ingestion of the drug is extremely graphic and disturbing. After the drug is done, we see a short period when their life seems better. But afterwards, we get to see reality come crashing down on all of them with how quick the effect ends. According to Entertainment Weekly, this film is so realistic that it should be seen in high schools across America. Too bad the NC-17 rating wouldn't sit well with parents. The musical score is haunting, and extremely beautiful. It really helps to drive the movie on the downward spiral that it travels on. All the performances are outstanding. Jared Leto is amazing as Harry. The character offers all the false promises of an addict and a shocking portrayal of using and hitting rock bottom. Ellen Burstyn does the best job in the film. Her portrayal of Sarah is one that we really feel sorry for. The path she travels down, was forced onto her by a dishonest doctor. The emotion that she puts forth is very realistic! Jennifer Connely, Christopher McDonald, and Marlon Wayans are also outstanding. "Requiem for a Dream" is a movie for the ages. It is one that will never fail to amaze audiences everywhere. The amazing story, reality of the drug scene, and performances are all flawless. The DVD is outstanding. It is extremely low priced, and the extras include commentary from the director, a making of documentary, deleted scenes, and much much more!
Rating:
Summary: Mortifyingly enjoyable
Review: Watching this movie is one of the most harrowing film experiences I've ever had. If you watch this and are not moved in some way by either disgust or sympathy, you have no soul. I was going to call this a cautionary tale, but after some thought, I don't want to. A cautionary tale is an after-school special in which Johnny the star quarterback is caught smoking pot and mom & dad won't let him play in the big game. This is a morbid and graphic film in which four people's lives come to utter, utter ruin via their narcotic habits. And I'm not talking about pot, which is not a narcotic. We have Sara, an old widow who just wants to lose weight and look nice so she can get on television. She becomes addicted to the speed in her diet pills. We have her son Harry, his girlfriend Marion, and his buddy Tyrone, three raving heroin addicts. At first, all four characters seem to have their using under control but everything goes horribly wrong. Without giving away too much, each of these characters ends up in a state of extreme suffering and their lives are destroyed. "Requiem for a Dream" is just that; the dream is that of the better life these drugs will supposedly give you. Let's face it, we all did some experimenting in high school and college, but few of us ever make a lifestyle of it. Those of us that do end up dead or in rehab, or worse, like the people in this film. Shocking, disgusting, and so well-put-together it's unreal. This film must be seen.
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