Requiem for a Dream follows parallel stories that shed light onto the desperate. Those desperate for love and belonging, those desperate for acceptance in the outside world, those desperate for fame. A dangerous and overly dependent relationship between Marion Silver (Jennifer Connelly) and Harry Goldfarb (Jared Leto) rises dramatically for an inevitable decline. At the same time we see Harry’s mother Sara Goldfarb (Ellen Burstyn) struggle as she engages in an extremely unhealthy diet stint to look great for a reality game show.
Requiem for a Dream is no horror movie, but damn is it creepy as fuck. The other day I was actually discussing it with my uncle and he described it as unsettling. I love that, unsettling is the perfect description for the film. It’s one that dives into the lives of those who are just on the outskirts trying desperately to fit in. At what cost? We see two extremes in a sense, each equally destructive in their own right. Marion and Harry seem to want to extend further away. If not accepted, why not distance themselves further and escape through excessive drug use? As we see with many drug users, as the drugs increase the instability does as well. However, there’s a revelation of sorts when deciding that they are going down the wrong path. The problem is sometimes when you dig a hole so deep you don’t have the necessary tools to climb back out.
Sara on the other hand is desperate to become more accepted. With dreams of being a contestant on a game show, Sara is in search of beauty. With some fucked up distortion Sara is hell bent on the idea that the only reason she’s not on the game show is because she needs to lose a couple of pounds. A common idea for pot bellies and chunkmonsters alike, Sara goes overboard on her dieting. Pills and pushups baby! This seriously unhealthy diet ends up taking her further away from the acceptance she so craved.
The movie can be tough to watch at times, unless you’re already a junky. It makes you uncomfortable seeing each storyline fall deeper and deeper into a never ending fuck fest. The point? It really does a good job showing how desperation can lead to a terrible downfall if not approached in a healthy manner. With that high brow description I’ll follow up with you’re going to say “What the fuck did I just watch?” at the end. It’s an interesting movie and one to see… once! You need to watch it to say you’ve watched it and then never watch it again.
Rating: Limp Dick
