Rating: 
Summary: Disturbing so Disturbing
Review: I have watched my fair share of drug culture films over the years, but not one has ever affected me the way this film did. The film follows the lives of four individuals. Harry Goldfarb, Sara Goldfarb, Tyrone Love, and Marion Silver. The central character of the story is Harry Goldfard we watch him battle his addiction to Heroin and all of the highs and the lows it brings. Harry along with his best friend and fellow Junky Tyrone and his girlfriend, Harry's, Marion want to make better lives for themslves and the way they want to do it is by dealing heroin. At first their business does very well, until Tyrone is arrested and most of the money is used to pay for his bail. The rest of the money is slowly eaten away by the characters own addictions to the drug.Sara Goldfarb, Harry's mother is a lonely woman who mourns that she is alone and has no one to take =care of. She spends all of her time sitting in front of the Television and eatting junk food. One day she receives a phonecall telling her that she has been selected to be on television. This excites her very much, so she decides to lose alot of weight so she can fit into this dress that she wore to Harry's high school graduation. After going on a grapefruit and egg diet for one day, she calls a friend of hers, and the friend gives her the phone number of a doctor who will give her pills to help her lose weight. Sara at first is happy that she is losing weight at such a quick pace, but soon the dosage that she is taking ceases to have the same effect on her, so she takes more and more of the pills. This is an extraordinary movie that not only shows the lives of Junkies, but also shows how people addicted to drugs are treated in society. True some of these drugs are illegal, but the way Harry is treated is unnecessay, and the way Sara is treated is just brutal. Marion is a very sad case she ends up selling her body to get the drugs she needs. Great film, but one that won't make you smile, one that you will not forget for a very long time.
Rating:
Summary: A brilliant portrayal & stunning visual experience
Review: This must be one of the most overlooked, underrated movies of 2000. Director Darren Aronofsky and the cast of Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly, and Marlon Wayans did such a superb job in transfering the book to the screen.
"Requiem for a Dream" is a movie about drug addiction. But its handling of the subject is so beautiful and poignant, and most importantly, REAL, that the film stands out among the countless other movies made about drugs.
One remarkable thing in the movie is the humanity of the characters. Though all 4 are drug addicts, they are not shaped simply by that fact. Instead they are portrayed as real people, deserving of dignity and all the dreams they hope for, who are destroyed by the evil that is addiction. It is a powerful message, because drug addicts are one of the most misunderstood and mistreated groups of people in our society.
The second aspect of the movie that deserves so much praise is the stunning audio/visual effect achieved by Aronofsky. He has the ability to turn a scene into an intense experience. His interpretation of the euphoria and hysteria brought about by drug abuse is wild; I loved it.
This movie brings you to 4 people who each have a dream, whether it be beauty, prominence, respect, or riches. But they are deceived into believing that drugs can realize these dreams, and this in turn brings their downfalls. Personally, I think the underlying message of this story is that we all need love. As you will see in the movie, each character was in need of some sort of validation as a human being. We all need to love each other, and above all love ourselves.
Rating:
Summary: Make sure you are ready for this one!
Review: This film is exquisite. There are very few films I can think of that literally change the course of your life and this is one of them. I assure you that you will be moved if you see this. The editing is something that I have never seen before and the acting is top notch. As an actor, I would love to work with this director as he is on new ground here. Ellen Burstyn SOOOOO deserved the Best Actress award, her performance is like nothing you have seen. Again, if you are depressed, DO NOT WATCH THIS FILM!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Pure Genius!
Review: There are movies like "trainspotting" that hype the idea that "heroin chic" is acceptable, cool, fun. Heroin is about shooting up, needing more, getting sick, freaking out, and doing *ANYTHING* to get more. That's what "Requiem for a Dream" does a fine job of truely portraying. But this movie doesn't just explore heroin abuse (Jared Leto and Marlon Wayans), it explores the world of the down-and-out cocaine addicted rich girl(Jennifer Connolly), and the widowed, t.v. obsessed speed freak (Ellen Burstyn). In this movie, you literally feel how they feel: the euphoria, the pain, the descent into madness. "Requiem" goes far beyond just being a movie, it's an experience. Director Darren Aronofsky does a fine job of making all your senses aware in this movie: the beautifully haunting music, the syringe in the arm and the pupils dilating, the lines on a mirror and a rolled up $20, the snap of the white lid on the pill bottle. It's all there. This is a beautifully sick movie. It's raw, real and you should do yourself a favor and see it!
Rating:
Summary: Outsandingly haunting
Review: This is a terrific film, brilliantly directed, with a great cast. Not what I would call a perky flick, but if you like movies that are 100% captivating and stories that are compelling, you should check out this film.
Rating:
Summary: RAW and HIDE
Review: Alice through the Looking Glass was never like this one - maybe it was? A wire-brush scrubbing of the soul - this one is!
The Cast? Headed by the brilliant Ellen Burstyn as Sara Goldfarb, the mother, with son Jared Leto, Marlon Wayans and the pal and Jennifer Connelly as the Girlfriend it is quite something - should be mandatory viewing [impossible though] for the under age. This journey makes "The days of Wine and Roses"
look like "The Sound of Music". A sharp reflection about the dangers of addiction [you name it - they got it] expertly perceived by director Darren Aronofsky. [Brilliant editing - never has a fridge spewed more menace since that wrestling sequence from Tony Richardson's "The Loved One".] Must see and must have - right next to its slightly more operatic, but equally bold "Last Exit to Brooklyn". Also "Bravo" to author Hubert Selby Jr.
Rating: 
Summary: Muddled Mess
Review: This could be a good movie, but the choppy editing and uneven story made it difficult to enjoy. There are some good performances by the stars of the film, but they don't overcome the poor story line. If you don't have it, don't buy it.
Rating:
Summary: one of the most interesting movies
Review: Well, you might like or not like this movie, but not a single person can watch it and pretend that it did not strike something deep inside. It is one of the strongest movies i have seen, and it made me feel things no other movie has made me feel. I strongly recommend it, as well as the book.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing, Shocking, and Disturbing
Review: I saw this movie at a party with some friends and was blown away. To this day, I still have not found a better movie, and have still not stopped thinking about it. The acting, the directing, the sound, everything is amazing! But best of all is Clint Mansell's amazing soundtrack! This is, without a doubt, the best movie I've ever seen. I've seen both the VHS and DVD versions, edited and directors cut, and they're both amazing. Don't watch this movie alone, see it with friends, it'll be a better experience if you do. We talked about the movie for an hour or two after the movie ended.
Rating:
Summary: amazing
Review: This film was recommended to me by a friend, and ever since I've watched it I can't get it out of my mind. The whole film was a rollercoaster, ups and downs of life, but how severe the downs are for Harry and Marian. The character of Sarah Goldfarb took the message even further as it's shown how even the innocent can be destroyed by what starts out as simple as diet pills. If this movie doesn't give you a few reasons to be clean, i don't know what would. Truly an amazing film, hasn't left my DVD player or mind since I first got it. Buy it, watch it, love it.
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