Reqiuem for a Dream.

Requiem for a Dream is a truly horrifying experience, yet it is one of my favorite movies of all time and is worth experiencing. It is a terrible movie about the effects of drug addiction and how it can ruin your life. So why do I love it so much? Because it’s beautifully shot, very well acted, has one of the greatest soundtracks of any movie ever made, and it is a great learning experience.

The movie follows four people; Ellen, her son Harry, his girlfriend Marion, and his best friend Tyrone. Ellen has an obsession with a particular tv program and dreams of being on tv herself one day. Harry and Tyrone are drug dealers who want a better life and Marion is young woman who wants to be a fashion designer. They get connections and soon are raking in the cash, so to speak. However, this wealth is short lived and soon everything goes to Hell.

The visuals in this movie are simply amazing. Whenever someone in the movie takes a shot of cocaine or snorts crack, the camera does a close-up of their eye and you see the effects of the drug. All of the environments are very realistic yet very surreal at the same time. When two characters are talking, the camera will “split” in two, and you’ll see both people.

The soundtrack is one of the movie’s strongest points. Just search “Requiem for a Dream” on youtube, and you’ll find the music is used in many different movie trailers, and has lots of remixes. It conveys fear, hopelessness, and the refusal to let go even when staring into nightmare. It does this without feeling overbearing on the movie.

The acting was top notch and also very surprising. I hate the Wayan brothers, but Marlon did a very good job. It makes me sad that he showed promise then went back to starring in his brother’s terrible comedies. Jared Leto played Harry very well. He was a loving son, but at the same found himself succumbing to the effects of drug use. Jennifer Connelly played Marion who was, in a way, the exact opposite of Harry. Ellen Burstyn is the standout though as Ellen, Harry’s mom. You can tell she’s scared for where her son is headed, but she never stops being his mom.

I cannot recommend this movie enough. It is very difficult to watch, but everyone owes it to themselves to see it at least once in their life.