Requiem for a Dream

	Review by Howard Anderson © 2001 Howard Anderson

Story

Darren Aronofsky follows up his acclaimed debut "Pi" with this gritty emotionally charged film set amidst the abandoned beaches and faded glory of Coney Island, Brooklyn. Based upon the novel by celebrated author Hubert Selby Jr., the story intricately links the lives of a lonely widowed mother (Ellen Burstyn), her son Harry (Jared Leto), his beautiful girlfriend Marion (Jennifer Connelly) and his best friend Tyrone (Marlon Wayans). "Requiem for a Dream" is a hypnotic tale of four human beings each pursuing their vision of happiness. Even as everything begins to fall apart, they refuse to let go, plummeting with their dreams into a nightmarish, gut-wrenching freefall.

Review

In the aftermath of "Requiem for a Dream" I more or less sleepwalked through the next couple of days. The thoughts that occupied my mind were not so much about the events at hand, as it was about the lives of these four characters that I had watched spiraling out of control in a rapid fire assault of the senses. Darren Aronofsky's intensely powerful adaptation of Hubert Selby Jr.'s novel is a shock to the system, and about an hour or so into it I was already dangerously close to reaching both a sensory and emotional overload.   But this is a relentless film, and rather than easing off at any point, it just keeps on pounding you in the face with its harsh world of light and darkness, and pulling you deeper and deeper in.

Darren Aronofsky's film is unforgiving in its portrayal of these four tragic fates. It leaves a mark on the viewer that it not likely to just fade away over night. The film truly makes you think hard about the subject matter addressed here. "Requiem for a Dream" is not easy to sit through, but the reward for having done so is greater than I can possibly put into words.
This is one of those films that need to be seen by as many people as possible, as there are important lessons to be learned here, both about ourselves and the society we make up.

The performances handed in by Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly and Marlon Wayans will keep you mesmerized. You will be watching their characters, and it doesn't matter if you want to or not, you will still come to care deeply about them. You will hope for better things to come their way, and you will keep you fingers crossed that sooner or later they will realize the destructive paths they're on. You will feel their pain, their anxieties, their frustrations, and most of all their desperate longing for something better.

Ellen Burstyn as Sara Goldfarb delivers what is surely one of the strongest performances I have ever seen. You'll be stunned. I'm not sure I can even begin to summarize the immense acting talent she displays here, as it really is something that has to be seen first hand for you to fully comprehend it. There is one scene where she talks to her son about the loneliness that has gradually consumed her life, and how she really doesn't have anybody anymore. It's a simple scene where everything is left in the hands of the actor, and she pulls it off with such brilliance. And if that wasn't enough, throughout the film she also had to deal with the rigorous demands put upon her by the extensive prosthetics, so for me the words "amazing" or "brilliant" or "scene-stealing" don't even come close in describing of her performance.

Jared Leto and Jennifer Connelly portray Harry Goldfarb and Marion Silver. I was impressed by Leto's minor turns in both "Fight Club" and "Girl, Interrupted", but here he really goes all out. He dropped fifteen pounds for the role, and his dedication is apparent in every frame. Jennifer Connelly was no less impressive to watch as Marion. As things go from bad to worse and the feeding of her addiction becomes harder and harder to maintain, you will see every painful emotion displayed with unfaltering conviction in her eyes. The biggest surprise for me, however, was Marlon Wayans, as I wasn't really sure how well he'd be able to handle a purely dramatic part without having the comedy to fall back on. He plays Tyrone C Love, and he does it showing off an acting talent that is as solid as they come.

There are several other elements that also stand out in making "Requiem for a Dream" one of the most unforgettable films ever, such as the cinematography of Matthew Libatique, the editing of Jay Rabinowitz, and the score supplied by Clint Mansell and the Kronos Quartet. To make a long story short: this film must be experienced!

Image

"Requiem for a Dream" is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, and the image is sharp and rich in both color and detail throughout. There were some interior scenes that displayed a bit of grain, but I write that up as being intentional on the part of the director or due to the filmstock used. The flesh tones and blacks are dead on, and practically every shot in this film is beautiful to behold in some way or another. Edge enhancement is more or less nonexistent, and I couldn't really detect any other flaws either, so the bottom line is that Artisan has done an excellent job here.

Sound

The Dolby Digital 5.1 mix is used to full effect in "Requiem for a Dream." The music plays an incredibly important part in the film, and as such it is loaded with power and intensity, filling the room perfectly. The mix is also very active in other regards. It comes with a couple of dizzying 360 degree pans that is enough to make you head spin, and something that just stuck with me was the rather freaky and deeply disturbing sounds that Sara Goldfarb's refrigerator makes at one point in the film. The filmmakers have taken full advantage of the soundmix, and they use it aggressively from the very first second, And as for the dialogue, it remains crystal clear throughout and you won't miss a single word spoken. A truly excellent soundtrack!

Features

"Requiem for a Dream" may not be as filled to the hilt as some of the more extensive special editions released from studios like 20th Century Fox and Disney/Buena Vista, but the bonus materials found on this disc are no less awesome. You get two screen specific Audio Commentaries - one with director Darren Aronofsky, and the other with director of photography Matthew Libatique. Darren Aronofsky is definitely the more interesting of the two, and he also speaks about his troubles with the MPAA, who slapped the film with an NC-17 rating when it came out. "The Making of Requiem for a Dream" Documentary clocks in at about 35 minutes, and it is really one of the better documentaries that I have seen in a long time. There are nine Deleted Scenes with Optional Director's Commentary. The scenes are presented in non-anamorphic widescreen and are kinda rough-looking, but they're cool inclusions and definitely worth the look. "Memories, Dreams and Addictions: Ellen Burstyn Interviews Hubert Selby Jr." segment gives you some insight into the author and the origins of the story, and it goes on for about 20 minutes. The "Anatomy of a Scene" is a little over five minutes long and is basically a making of featurette delving into a few of specific scenes. You also get 2 Theatrical Trailers and 2 TV spots, a taste of the official website, detailed Cast & Crew information in the form of bios and filmographies, and finally some Production Notes. Now, that's a nice package...

Overall Opinion

This is film that everybody MUST see... short and simple. It should be shown in schools, it should be shown everywhere to everybody. And as for the DVD, what more could you possibly want? You've got a top-notch feature presentation, and all the bonus materials you could hope for. This film is a testimony to the art of filmmaking, and I say it again: IT MUST BE SEEN!