* * * * *
Cast: Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly, Marlon Wayans, Christopher McDonald, Sean Gullette, Keith David
Screenplay: Hubert Selby Jr. and Darren Aronofsky (Based on the novel by Hubert Selby Jr.)
102 minutes / Color
“Requiem for a Dream” is probably in my Top 5 of the darkest, unconventional, unflattering, twisted films I’ve seen ever…and yet, I loved it quite a lot. It’s even better then the year’s Best Picture “Gladiator” and better then my previous Best Picture choice “Erin Brockovich”. The movie was unique and simply amazing. I’m actually going to say that after seeing this, I don’t think I’ll ever be taking drugs in my life. It looks gross and scary and it’s definitely not for me. The film reaches for the heart and soul and tries to send us a message that dreams can be shattered when people are trying to get to it the wrong ways.
The film takes us in the 4-season lives of 4 people living in New York City and Brooklyn that all connect. We have Sara Goldfarb (Ellen Burstyn) a lonely fat widow living in a Old-Folks home, her son Harry (Jared Leto) a unsuccessful graduate living in New York, Harry’s beautiful girlfriend Marion (Jennifer Connelly) and his best friend Tyrone (Marlon Wayans).
Sara is very lonely and starts a certain obsession with a TV show. When she gets an “application” to be on that show, Sara’s head is turned around and she attempts to loose weight to be able to wear a certain “red dress” that she wore in Harry’s graduation. But after an attempt to loose weight using a diet book given to her by her friend, she quits that and seeks something much faster and much better. Sara obtains diet pills and starts taking them regularly. But her desperation to loose weight is still in hand and she overdoses and quickly starts getting addicted to them, not to loose weight but as something that makes her “feel” good.
In New York, far from Sara’s Brooklyn, Harry and his friends are living the high life of drug dealing. Harry and Tyrone start getting very successful and their little business starts blooming. Marion starts getting influenced by drugs too, even though Harry’s only reason of selling drugs is so he can open up a shop for him and Marion.
When their business crashes one night, the 3 face the reality of being poor and the wanting of drugs. Harry, in the other hand is in serious trouble. The arm where he’s been “shooting up” has been decaying for a couple of weeks but has been hiding it from his girlfriend and his best buddy. Marion, who is the biggest junkie from the three cannot take is anymore. She needs to shoot up and starts having sex (kinda prostituting herself) with random drug dealers for money and drugs that she longs to have and makes her “happy”.
At the end, Sara’s hallucinations of the show sends her to mental institution, Harry’s arm is amputated, Tyrone goes to jail for being a drug dealer and after a night of being forced to have sex with another woman through the ass, Marion has her drugs…but is still left cold and unhappy.
The film is very graphic, it is something you really want to turn you head away from but it’s really very difficult. I really have to compliment and kudos Darren Aronofsky. This is probably his greatest work to date (better then his recent, overrated flick “The Fountain”). His direction was marvelous and it explored every scene and all its nature and scope to the highest level. It was really very perfect. Every angle and every cut was blossoming with directional power and the matching cinematography was full of wonder.
The ensemble is really unforgettable. The film wouldn’t have worked without the 4 principal cast members. Jared Leto should get more films. His talent here was seriously, well “serious”. This is actually the first film I’ve seen him in where he isn’t a supporting player, and leading man really works for him. He was charming and perfect for the role; he is an absolutely underrated actor and performance. Best Actor worthy, once performance which the Academy and most critics have overlooked. .
Jennifer Connelly and Marlon Wayans also make it well. Though there isn’t really anything special about Marlon (don’t worry Marlon, “White Chicks” is probably one of the funniest movie I’ve ever seen in my LIFE), Connelly made a small role something big. She was delicious but disturbed and she created another winning performance.
But I’m joining the band wagon on who did the greatest job in the film. No other then Best Actress nominee Ellen Burstyn. Frightened mothers must be really her thing, just kidding. Anyways, she was too good to be true. Seeing the film was mainly to see how she did and if she really deserves the “hype” surrounding her loose to Julia Roberts for the Oscar back in 2000. I’m sorry Ellen, as brilliant as you are, Julia is still the winner, and you probably run her a close second. But Ellen Burstyn was really super amazing here. The fright, the cries, the desperation, she went beyond the makeup.
“Requiem” is a stunner from beginning to end. The production design was great; did I forget the nearly flawless screenplay? If Darren Aronofsky is reading this (I highly, highly doubt it), if you’re gonna make another film, I encourage and recommend Burstyn and Leto for you. They are perfect and using them, will make your movie into a masterpiece. I can’t believe this film only received 1 Oscar nomination…snubs!
Cast: Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly, Marlon Wayans, Christopher McDonald, Sean Gullette, Keith David
Screenplay: Hubert Selby Jr. and Darren Aronofsky (Based on the novel by Hubert Selby Jr.)
102 minutes / Color
“Requiem for a Dream” is probably in my Top 5 of the darkest, unconventional, unflattering, twisted films I’ve seen ever…and yet, I loved it quite a lot. It’s even better then the year’s Best Picture “Gladiator” and better then my previous Best Picture choice “Erin Brockovich”. The movie was unique and simply amazing. I’m actually going to say that after seeing this, I don’t think I’ll ever be taking drugs in my life. It looks gross and scary and it’s definitely not for me. The film reaches for the heart and soul and tries to send us a message that dreams can be shattered when people are trying to get to it the wrong ways.
The film takes us in the 4-season lives of 4 people living in New York City and Brooklyn that all connect. We have Sara Goldfarb (Ellen Burstyn) a lonely fat widow living in a Old-Folks home, her son Harry (Jared Leto) a unsuccessful graduate living in New York, Harry’s beautiful girlfriend Marion (Jennifer Connelly) and his best friend Tyrone (Marlon Wayans).
Sara is very lonely and starts a certain obsession with a TV show. When she gets an “application” to be on that show, Sara’s head is turned around and she attempts to loose weight to be able to wear a certain “red dress” that she wore in Harry’s graduation. But after an attempt to loose weight using a diet book given to her by her friend, she quits that and seeks something much faster and much better. Sara obtains diet pills and starts taking them regularly. But her desperation to loose weight is still in hand and she overdoses and quickly starts getting addicted to them, not to loose weight but as something that makes her “feel” good.
In New York, far from Sara’s Brooklyn, Harry and his friends are living the high life of drug dealing. Harry and Tyrone start getting very successful and their little business starts blooming. Marion starts getting influenced by drugs too, even though Harry’s only reason of selling drugs is so he can open up a shop for him and Marion.
When their business crashes one night, the 3 face the reality of being poor and the wanting of drugs. Harry, in the other hand is in serious trouble. The arm where he’s been “shooting up” has been decaying for a couple of weeks but has been hiding it from his girlfriend and his best buddy. Marion, who is the biggest junkie from the three cannot take is anymore. She needs to shoot up and starts having sex (kinda prostituting herself) with random drug dealers for money and drugs that she longs to have and makes her “happy”.
At the end, Sara’s hallucinations of the show sends her to mental institution, Harry’s arm is amputated, Tyrone goes to jail for being a drug dealer and after a night of being forced to have sex with another woman through the ass, Marion has her drugs…but is still left cold and unhappy.
The film is very graphic, it is something you really want to turn you head away from but it’s really very difficult. I really have to compliment and kudos Darren Aronofsky. This is probably his greatest work to date (better then his recent, overrated flick “The Fountain”). His direction was marvelous and it explored every scene and all its nature and scope to the highest level. It was really very perfect. Every angle and every cut was blossoming with directional power and the matching cinematography was full of wonder.
The ensemble is really unforgettable. The film wouldn’t have worked without the 4 principal cast members. Jared Leto should get more films. His talent here was seriously, well “serious”. This is actually the first film I’ve seen him in where he isn’t a supporting player, and leading man really works for him. He was charming and perfect for the role; he is an absolutely underrated actor and performance. Best Actor worthy, once performance which the Academy and most critics have overlooked. .
Jennifer Connelly and Marlon Wayans also make it well. Though there isn’t really anything special about Marlon (don’t worry Marlon, “White Chicks” is probably one of the funniest movie I’ve ever seen in my LIFE), Connelly made a small role something big. She was delicious but disturbed and she created another winning performance.
But I’m joining the band wagon on who did the greatest job in the film. No other then Best Actress nominee Ellen Burstyn. Frightened mothers must be really her thing, just kidding. Anyways, she was too good to be true. Seeing the film was mainly to see how she did and if she really deserves the “hype” surrounding her loose to Julia Roberts for the Oscar back in 2000. I’m sorry Ellen, as brilliant as you are, Julia is still the winner, and you probably run her a close second. But Ellen Burstyn was really super amazing here. The fright, the cries, the desperation, she went beyond the makeup.
“Requiem” is a stunner from beginning to end. The production design was great; did I forget the nearly flawless screenplay? If Darren Aronofsky is reading this (I highly, highly doubt it), if you’re gonna make another film, I encourage and recommend Burstyn and Leto for you. They are perfect and using them, will make your movie into a masterpiece. I can’t believe this film only received 1 Oscar nomination…snubs!
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