Requiem for a Dream

Probably one of my favorite films of all time. I know that I have said this a ton of times before, but with this film I cannot even begin to pretend. It is hands down on my top 5 of all time. It will never become irrelevant, clichéd, or passé. The seeded message within this film spans the entire seemingly obtainable American dream. It’s right there out in front of you.

Requiem Trailer Here

The film of course deals with addiction, obsession, and the lengths these characters go to achieve perceived happiness. They all have escape clauses within their given situations (the clothes store, Susan’s son, etc.) but they fall away as their addictions take over. We’re pretty much beat over the head with this throughout the film.

One of the best parts of this film is watching the relationship between Jared Leto and Jennifer Connelly. We see them develop such a surreal relationship and tight bond, but as the film progresses and the clouds darken they are torn apart by their need to feed their addiction. Jennifer sells her body for money and Jared urges her to do so. Afterwards we watch as Jennifer has to deal with the weight of guilt and disgust as she leaves the hotel building. Here Darren Aronofsky uses the steadcam vest yet again very effectively.

Their collective dreams start to become inescapable nightmares that torment and abuse them. The scenes where Susan Goldfarb (Ellen B) slips into her own person hell are some of the most intense in the whole film – the fridge becomes a monster, she sees digitalized ghosts, and her apartment implodes into the television set she once idolized. The conclusion of that segment is as terrifying as anything we’ll see in the entire film. It was still nerve racking as the first time that I saw it.

The ending, in my opinion, is probably the only part of the film that I can throw a pebble at. I understand how they wanted to get their point across in such an extreme way, but for me it seems too drastic. We understand that they are all on a one-way path to destruction, however, the ending is almost cartoonish in how it wraps up. But on the other hand, I love how that final wrap-up is based within a realm of realism. We come out of that horrific montage expecting the world to be back on kilter, but we find the exact opposite. Because in real life there aren’t always fairytale endings.

The camera work, orchestra driven intensifying backdrop, incessant repetition techniques, and the climatic buildup in the pacing of the film are enough to drive a sane person mad. You become enthralled in this world and we care deeply for these characters. This is true cinema. “Harry, can you come today?” They all want redemption and freedom, but they know that they are doomed.

Rating: 10/10