uhm..this one is confusing actually cause i don't know where to start so lets begin from the good to bad.
the best thing about this movie is the soundtrack it's exceptional and one of the best i ever heard in a life time.the second good thing is the directing it's one of the kind.the screenplay was great Ellen Burstyn performance was tremendous but the story was confusing it's kinda made me sick i actually had to take a break to breath in some fresh air this is never happened to me before. it's probably the biggest campaign in the world against drugs but i felt i was chocking to death while watching it.
however the story behind the movie was astonishing but it's one of the movies that i will never watch again.… Expand

Requiem for a Dream is a film which is Fearlessly Directed and Acted. Its very raw, which wont make many audiences appreciate the film, But its true to its story without a tiny sliver of fake. Its one of those films which scare you, make you cry by experiencing the downward spiral of these characters along with them. And though even at times when you don't agree with them [that's mostly], you can't help but feel for them and finally embrace them by the end. There is no better Horror Movie than reality. In that sense this definitely is one. Each and Every actor had a lot to emote, and they did so beautifully. But Ellen Burstyn takes the cake, Have not seen a performance as beautiful as that ever, Period.… Expand

Not only does it paint the consequences of perhaps reaching too far, but Requiem for a Dream also tells a tragic tale of the troubles of being alone, and the lengths people may go to just to be counted.
Sara (Ellen Burstyn) is a widowed mother who spends her days watching the same game show, while also fantasising about being thinner and fitting into the red dress she wore to her son Harry's (Jared Leto) graduation, she decides to start a diet which eventually leads her to start taking prescription diet pills.
Harry, meanwhile, is a heroin addict, and soon gets himself into the trade around Coney Island, along with his friend Tyrone (Marlon Wayans) and his girlfriend, Marion (Jennifer Connolly). They make extreme amounts of money from their deals and dream of opening a fashion store.
As the two stories unfold, we watch as each of the four peoples addiction grows out of control and the effects to which their lives begin to spiral, the title truly bears fruit to the lengths these individuals go to for what they believe to be a better life.
Elllen Burstyn puts in an emotionally stirring performance as Sara, forever fantasising of her life in a gameshow, and her struggle to come to grips with reality are perfectly portrayed here, simply for the love of her son.
The multi-talented Jared Leto continues to shine, playing the conflicted Harry, who we never quite understand just how much he loves his mother, as when he is around her he seems uneasy. his characters relationship with is also addicted girlfriend starts off quite simple, but we soon realise that he will do anything he can to please her, whatever his actions.
Darren Aronofsky's superb filmmaking comes in with a bang in this film, combining close up shots with a montage of quick cuts to emphasise the speed and evolved nature of each persons addiction, and he tells a wonderful story as how the ambitions can indeed be dangerous, many things that people reach for could have tragic consequences, but unfortunately an idea can spread.
Combining expert filmmaking and a gripping story, along with a superb cast, Aronofsky has created a truly breathtaking yet tragic film, one that will not be forgotten, simply because of its meaningful story and heartbreaking finale.… Expand

Very overrated, disgusting and stupid! I would recommend this movie to all TEENS, who want to try on drugs, so the only good thing about this movie is that it can scare some kids to not try drugs. Otherwise this movie is awful. I can't give more than 1/10 just because it can teach some kids. Parents can do that too, there's no need to watch a disgusting movie like this.

This movie is without a really special movie. The style is admirable and bold and Ellen Burstyn's performance is one the best I have seen in a very long time. It explores the effect of drugs in a terriffic way and I think it's safe to say that everyone of us wants to distance ourselves from drugs after watching this film. Nevertheless, there is something about this movie that makes me very, very uncomfortable. I think it's simply because this movie is way too special for my taste, sorry to say. But I definitely think that we all should give it a chance.… Expand

Weird, confusing, and pointless. I really don't understand what all the hype is about. Yes, Ellen Burstyn performance was unbelievable, but the movie was just terrible. Honestly, I know it has a huge cult following, but wtf is so special about it? Please someone fill me in...What am I missing?

I've got my cousin to thank for making me watch this movie. He told me to hang on when I got kind of bored in the middle. Lo and Behold! Nothing can ever prepare you for what happens during the climax. Everything that you imagine can go wrong goes wrong! If you want to be put off drugs for good, watch this.

Aronofsky's film is a haunting and hypnotic show, fueled by a bracing score and a heart wrenching performance from Ellen Burstyn. Though the cuts may seem quick and sloppy to the naked eye, Requiem is carefully and precisely put to together, and the effect will floor you.

Requiem for a Dream has impact for the most part due to the utterly captivating performances of the cast, particularly Ellen Burstyn who received a well-earned Academy Award nomination, and from Jared Leto who is also very strong. The film also has simple but effectively disturbing visuals, a striking editing style courtesy of Jay Rabinowitz, a moody and epic score from Clint Mansell and a truly terrifying and heartbreaking finale. Being a Darren Aronofsky film, it's flexible and creative with the concept of reality, and becomes more off-the-wall and dreamlike (well, nightmarish) as the characters steadily lose control of their lives, their minds and their free will as a result of their terrible addictions. It's certainly one of the most uncompromising and provocative films about drug addiction ever made, and should probably be mandatory viewing for teenagers to scare them off the life-destroying substances for life. It one of those films that really leaves a lasting effect, an almost crippling feeling of melancholia as a result of its pessimism. Mercilessly downbeat though it may be, Requiem for a Dream is a prime example of meticulously crafted, undeniably powerful filmmaking.… Expand

Requiem for a Dream is a breathtaking movie and this is because of the topics that treat and point of view that give them. The film talks about family conflicts, couple problems, friend disagreements, racist fights, poor environments and all of these immersed in the drugs world. Obviously the points of view towards these problems are four, the one of Harry (who is trying to be successful and have a job), his girlfriend (who is looking her happily ever after), his mother (who wants to be remembered after her dead, by appear on television) and his best friend (who is hoping to live without worries and just enjoying the moment). In another way, this people is trying to accomplish something that is very difficult to find in the real world, so the solution is to escape from the reality; here is when the four path joins in a common point: the drugs, which represent the release of their minds. In this part Darren Aronofsky use the expressionist and surrealistic images, like the sequence when they take drugs, the attack of the TV people with the refrigerator and the zombie ending. Finally the four people end in the same way as if they were only one body. All of this is enhance by a marvelous direction, astonishing performances, excellent script and shocking music. This is a requiem for the beloved housewife, the worker son, the empathic girlfriend and the supporting friend. It is a requiem for achieving perfection. A Requiem for a Dream.… Expand

Amazing piece of film. I agree that it is a little over rated and people think they're artsy for liking it and even knowing about it, but any movie that could take the place of every single life education class we ever had to take growing up in school about how drugs are bad is a success in my book. Very powerful. Jared Leto delivers, Jennifer Connolly kills it, Marlon Wayans shows diversity, and Ellen Burstyn steals the whole show. True acting from true actors.… Expand

Requiem for a Dream is the story of 4 stereotypical stock characters who suffer from substance abuse. All of which become the victims of a gruesomely slippery slope of drug addiction. However, this film fails at creating unique and original characters with even the slightest amount of depth. And the half-assed love story between Harry and Marion gives no insight into why they fell in love other then them both being attractive. Many people praise its innovative cinematography and "realistic" view of the results of drug abuse. But along with its purposefully disturbing scare tactics, it's about as compelling and a D.A.R.E poster. And unfortunately the cinematography isn't enough to salvage this colossal piece of trash.… Collapse

Pour apprécier pleinement un film de Darren Aronofsky, c'est d'entrer dans l'univers qu'il nous propose à chaque fois. Notamment au niveau de la mise en scène. Il n'y a qu'à voir The Fountain et Black Swan. Mais son film le plus styliser et le plus fort reste sans aucun doute Requiem for a Dream. Un film à première vue tout aussi "défoncé" que ses protagonistes, mais qui se révèle être un coup de poing ravageur, qui nous permet de vivre (et non de suivre) la descente aux enfers de 4 personnes, touchées d'une manière ou d'une autre par la drogue. Ambiance dérangeante, bo grinçante, mise en scène clipesque, casting de choix... Bref, j'ai assisté, impuissant, à l'une des plus cruelles déchéances qu'il m'ait été de voir dans un film. Et pour cela, je peux dire qu'Aronofsky est un excellent réalisateur!… Expand

Aronofsky's psychodelic drug addiction film proves him an effective hallucinatory filmmaker and a master at clever stylistic metaphors with pin-point hellish accuracy.

The impact of this film depends on where you're from and what you've been exposed to in real life and in other reality based films. Not to sound pompous but if i was from a sheltered middle class suburban upbringing I'd probably find some othe sens painfully graphic, but having done my time in the ghettos (plural) I've seen way worse. The directing was the most entertaining aspect. The story, well, even if I hadn't experienced some of it in person I'd have read about it countless times before seeing this simply because I'm middle aged. So I guess you might also have to be kind of young to be shocked as well. It's well crafted and if you feel like you 'should' see it so you understand the current pop culture references, then do so. It's not a waste of time. If you want to see the real thing though, check out 'Dope Sick Love'. It's a mind blowing doc that's readily available for free online. Just google it. It makes this film seem like 'Dora the Explorer'.… Expand

Afronsky creates quite a vivid picture here. His use of numerous film-making devices from close up action shots of everything from the dilation of a pupil to the sipping of a cup of coffee, sound effects that enhance the action, side by side panoramic shots, high speed action shots, and many other techniques all come together to truly allow the viewer to feel what the character feels, to experience his or her inebriation end ultimately despair as desire and withdrawal come into play in the latter half of the film. At times such stylistic directing doesn't allow for character growth, but nonetheless when the characters are able to grow, they do so beyond measure. From simply desire of the drug and love for one another, they move to dependence and we see that become their only focus. Then Afronsky shows us the deepest dark of addiction. From simple withdrawal to prison to prostitution to hospitalization and even to an amputation, the characters end in far different places and circumstances. But nonetheless, in the end, all the characters face the same loneliness, the loneliness that comes when one has sacrificed all else for the drug that gives him nothing. This film takes different circumstances and ultimately brings them together in the most tragic of ways. While not a perfect film, Afronsky proves that he is a director not to be reckoned with.… Expand

Hooray for portraying how the world really is, in raw material. Kudos for the insanity factors and showing how bad addictions affect others. No, this is not a promotional thing - it's the exact opposite. Great acting (30 Seconds To Mars' Jared Leto made me giggle and point for the first five minutes of the film), great filming, and a spiralling conclusion. Lovely.

This film has a great and original vision, never before have you seen or will you ever see a movie like this one. Great style acting and pace. This movie has one of the best paces to a movieI have ever seen. It will not let you down with its powerful cimax

BE CAREFUL WHILE WATCHING THIS MOVIE!

This piece of work brings it. It really does. This excellent movie was one of the best movies I've ever seen in a lot of terms (soundtrack, editing, originality, and so on...)

BUT you have to be very carefull while whatching it. It brings with itself a stereotic abordation of the drugs senary. That's a beautiful way of spending quality time but, at the same time, doesn't deliver enough information for any person to create an opinion about the drugs and abuse subjects.… Expand

"Requiem for a Dream" showcases the unique talent Jared Leto possesses. He is a really talented person (acting, music, directing) and the fact that he generally makes only so called art movies, makes him even more special, because he isnâ

This movie is simply awesome, it show the things the way it should be and the way it happens, along with Eyes wide shut, this movie is one the best drama movies i ever seen and i think that every single teenager should watch this movie and realize that drugs and excess never will end well

Fine piece of work. From every aspect. You can tell the cast and crew worked so hard to compose a phenomenal film, like nothing you have seen before.

I really do not see the fascination a lot of filmmakers and other artists have with the bottom feeders of society. I find addicted people disgusting, as simple as that. I find it evenly disgusting how deep certain humans can sink. We must be the only species without a clear genetically determined spectrum of behaviour. I have seen people who live in dirt, who smell, who dump their waste on the street, who destroy themselves with alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, food, or whatever poison they can find. No animal does that. Animals spend most of the day cleaning themselves, because they instinctively know that their body is pretty much their most important asset.
With regard to this movie, what is the purpose of making it ? Drugs are dangerous ? Thanks, by now everybody should know that.
The only thing tha bothers me is that apparently a lot of people can actually relate to that movie. That spells trouble for humanity...… Expand

Aronofsky obviously knows little about drug culture or addiction. If a person has never used hard drugs or been involved with people using hard drugs I can see how they might praise this as an unflinching look at the realities of addiction. But unfortunately, Aronofsky's "shock-and-awe" campaign is not based in reality. In actuality the consequences of drug use can be much worse, but not as gruesome or as idiotic as this film portrays them.… Expand

It's well-made, well-acted, well-written, and overall just a very nicely made film. The film itself is depressing, unoptimistic, and at some times, disturbing. It's a bit of a hard one to sit through. Personally, I don't enjoy movies such as this. I can't say it's not well-made, but it certainly is not a pleasure to sit through or watch more than once. Those with weak stomachs may want to reconsider watching, and those easily offended or frightened might want to steer clear.… Expand

Requiem for a Dream was extremely boring. i really can't believe that anyone saw any good in this worthless trash of a film. there was no point in the movie that was even remotely entertaining and the only good thing about it was that everything i did over the following couple of days after seeing it seemed a lot more interesting in comparison. It was just bad.

The drugs don't work, they just make you worse as Richard Ashcroft once sang.
Intensely brilliant film about addiction & the slow decline that follows.
Amazing performances from the cast & especially Ellen Burstyn.
I did think that Jared Leto & Jennifer Connelly looked like brother & sister though.

Great!

I cant find words for this movie. One the one side a beautiful work of art and at the other site cruel reality. There are some small negatives but without them this movie wouldn't be THAT good! You have to see it to understand.

It was a very dark and depressing movie that left me feeling very depressed after watching it.However its a movie that dares to show the much darker side to drug abuse.I though it was well put together and the soundtrack was amazing.

This movie blew my mind....I've never seen a more powerful and disturbing movie, but it was great...just unspeakably disturbing.

This film was amazing. I loved every second of it and was thinking about it days after watching it. The music was perfect through the whole thing.

Brilliant-honest and artfully put together.

Greatest use of audio and visual technology of any film ever. Engrossing to the bitter end, building into a sensual crescendo metaphorically described as a classical rapsody of soundtrack and cenematics that overwhelms the senses into submission, leaving only the body to sink into the comfortable couch of emotion and stimulation. Perfectly cast, brilliantly edited, genius direction and interpretation of the writers vision and desire. 10/10… Expand

A powerful, underrated, classic film. Those who decry this movie as an overly simplistic caricature of the horrors of drug use completely miss the point of the film; what makes this film compelling and different from other drug films is its ability to show how drug addiction can afflict anyone and comes in many forms. From television to caffeine to heroin, everyone self medicates, and anyone can fall victim to serious addictions, be they old or young.… Expand

No movie has made me feel the way i did after i watched this. Plus the music was amazing.

Chris K., it's not about the drugs. It's about the pursute of happiness. There's the spring board for starting to understanding this intense, earth-shatteringly bleak film. Also has the most incredible score of our generation.

Intricate, dark, amazing.

Superb film, amazing director. just watch it.

Hard to describe. Gut wrenching, disturbing, thrill ride, engrossing; just to use a few. Darkly fascinating and wildly entertaining. Any movie that can get your pulse racing, be it good or evil, is an epic flick for sure.

Amazing! Can't find any word to describe except the one I just used. - Kazumi Kazum Hotogishi I never watched the movie but my husband said it was absolutely fabulous, I'm very posh and he's Jap - Daisy Elizabeth Hotogishi Oh I forgot to brush my teeth!!

Without a doubt, one of the greatest movies I have ever seen. It grabs hold of you and doesn't let go. 98% of the brilliance of this movie is in its excellent music. Clint Mansell is brilliant.

Unbelievable masterpiece. It's so deep on so many levels, that weeks afterwards you find yourself discovering new meanings. I see a lot of very ignorant reviews of this movie. Do not be fooled because however depressing or dark the movie is, it leaves you in a way of striving to avoid the downfall of the characters in the movie. A lot of bad reviews read of how terrible it was, but i think that most of the people who wrote those reviews did not get the point of the movie at all, ruining the whole experience. Brilliant, just brilliant.… Expand

This movie is a horror movie that you can't scream throughout and laugh with your friends about afterward. Instead, you just sit there, staring, not wanting to watch the depressing, frightening images but unable to tear your eyes away. The style and direction is distinct, the editing abrupt and jarring. It is very well filmed, but it doesn't bring much else to the table. You watch it, in awe of the darkness and despair of it all, and what do you get? Drugs are bad. Yes, yes they are. You want a more... INSPIRED message in the end, or at least a somewhat happy ending! But you don't get it. It is, all and all, a worthwhile piece of film, but don't watch it if you expect either of those things. Really, just watch it on hulu.com, it's free. And even then... be in a good mood.… Expand

Undoubtly, this is the best movie I have seen this whole year. I cant believe that I didnt see this movie till today. Awesome direction, terrafic performances by actors and storyline is like something I cant be explain in words. If you havent watched it yet, watch it now.

It is the most overrated and dangerous movie atrocity ever. It takes every stereotype about drugs and drug abuse and reinforces those stereotypes to absurdist, kafkaesque levels. Comparisons to the propaganda classic "Reefer Madness" (go watch it at archive.org and spot the similarities) are both valid and necessary. People who know nothing (and want to know nothing) about how addiction works give this film a high rating because it confirms their infantile views (Drugs=Evil)on the issues dealt with in the movie. Cater ignorance to the ignorant. Always a wise business decision.… Expand

Haunting. Just haunting.

horrid. depressing, no plot. left me feeling disgusting, hopeless and depressed. i wish i could erase that hour and a half.

I think this film is overrated. Although it is an awful lot better then his last film, the Fountain. The film reliance on style causes problems, especially in the first act, where we are introduced to split screen and various other stylistic devices for no other reason then to give the film a professional sheen. There use in these areas were shallow and pointless, they did not progess any element of the story. I think if Aronofsky had laid off at the beginning and let the stylistic devices build up as the addictions took hold, it could have been a much better film. There is little character development. It appears to be a film situated in an … Expand

Like many others that have stated it, this is indeed a life changing movie. The first time I watched I.. I couldn't stop thinking about it. I had to go around and ask everyone if they'd seen it, and if they hadn't I told them they must!...The acting was amazing, the soundtrack (by Clint Mansell) was truly worth buying after hearing it and the true message of the movie made me wish I'd seen it 5 years earlier. Clint Mansell and Darren Aronofsky work amazing together. It was a dark movie sure, but to say reality isn't dark is ignorant. The critics giving it a 20 and 30 really must've been doing what the main characters in the movie got addicted too. I'll let you find out what that is if you haven't seen it. This movie is a must see in my books.… Expand

This movie is by far the most disturbing yet realistic outlook at how drug users become completely dislocated from themselves. The acting is outstanding (especially Burstyn and Connelly). Burstyn was robbed of the Academy Award for her performance in this movie. Ellen Burstyn's portrayal of "Sara" devastated me long after the movie was over. Simply amazing....

Amazing movie. If you didn't like it, you didn't get it. The acting was amazing, the soundtrack was amazing, the cinematography was amazing. I LOVED it.

This movie is insane. I was glued to the T.V

Hugely disturbing masterpiece. Some of the best acting across the board you will ever witness, period. If you've ever had a personal connection to any of the themes explored here, it will make your blood boil. The downward spiral of the 3 lead characters is putrid, uncomfortably hellacious.

Changed my life. Made me rethink things I've said and done. truly a masterpiece.

A great movie in every aspect. one that will surely stick with you for years to come. Don't miss out.

This is a great movie. Very stylish and thought provoking. The movie slowly sucks you in the leaden nightmare in which is filled up with harrowing truths, deep thoughts and breathtaking performances, especially by Ellen Burstyn.

This is an amazing movie. It makes you relate to the 4 characters first, then slowly spiral you into the oblivion that is addiction. Aronofsky does this through the amazing lens of a gifted filmmaker.

Requiem for a Dream is a masterpiece and a movie you will never forget. The title alone should let you know it is not going to be a happy, uplifting movie. If you aren't a schizo on the subject of drugs, then this movie is a muse see. The theme song is incredible too!

I bought this movie today at Wal-Mart called 'Requiem for a Dream'. Of couse I got the R-rated Edited Version. I truly believe that it deserves WAY more than $5.50. I love this movie, it is a masterpiece, but I did not enjoy it. Why? Because it deals with lots of drugs. Nothing good happens in this film. Absoluely nothing. This was the first movie ever to make me cry, especially at the end. I wish I could say that it had a happy ending. I really do. Definitely a must-see.… Expand

A technical and directorial masterpiece with amazing cinematography, music, acting, plot, pace, direction, and every other element of a movie. Simply top-notch; Aronofsky brings the Shakespearean tragedy into the present day and adds his own dark touch. Watch it, but make sure you watch the unrated version; Aronofsky made it that way for a reason, and watching an edited version would simply defeat the film's purpose.… Expand

Repulsive, disgusting, intriguing, strange, ironic and utterly irresistible. This film is disturbing to the core, however there is a powerful message delivered, one that puts most of the rest of the film in context. This is truely a great cinematic work and should be admired as such. I suppose you can either love this movie or hate it, but if for nothing else, the soundtrack rocks! Mother looses her sanity, son looses his arm, girl looses her dignity and black guy looses his freedom, everything that we take for granted is ripped away at the end, and thats a pretty damn interesting message.… Expand

I just had to respond to Richie C.'s comment. Richie, do you only go to the movies to watch fairy-tale endings and Jim Carrey movies? That's like saying the only books that should be printed are kids' stories. If you can't handle drama, fine, but that's no reason to give the movie a 3. That said, this movie is hard to watch and does leave you bummed, but itis'; beautifully done and the fact that it can affect its viewers just goes to prove its power in grabbing you. Watch it.… Expand

Like it or lump it, this film is an expirence like none other.

If you love being depressed and miserable after watching something thats soposed to be entertaining and artsistic then watch this film from hell.

In the vein of Trainspotting and the even more odious Human Traffic, beneath all the ostentatious showiness, is a lifeless, one-note film. The people are not so much characters as they are caricatures. Vices such as drugs, prostitution, antidepressants and erm... ECT are presented as dehumanising in the most reactionary, doctrinaire fashion imaginable and I felt very little empathy for Leto or Connelly, who are presented more as subjects to Aronofsky's painfest than as real people. We don't believe a word Leto says when he proclaims "I just want to make [his mum] happy", which brings us to the brilliant Ellen Burstyn, who is the heartbreakingly naive mother. She is the only reason to see this film.… Expand

Haunting. Dreamy. Gritty. Not sure how those three mix together but they do. Amazing film, do not miss.

The most brilliantly directed film in American motion picture history. How Ellen Burnstyn did not win the Academy Award for this film is far, far beyond my realm of thinking.

A very touching story of falling of four people mixed with brilliant acts and perfectly matched music.

This movie is amazing! I love Jared Leto!!!

I quote the Rolling Stone review " No one interested in the power and magic of movies should miss it. " Such a powerful movie should not be missed by those who really care for their purpose which is to capture the audience in a way few films are capable this days. All the elements of film are focused in this movie, which are effects, music, story, scripts, characterization, camera takes, cinematographic emotion and feeling, and a lot more. A movie that when you finish watching you literally can't get off your seat, whether you liked it or not. It deliver such kind of suspense and drama and thriller and (in a matter of speaking if you watched the movie) such propaganda for drugs and at the same time its opposite, that at the end of the movie you can't realize that you've actually been watching what I think should have been a greatly acclaimed movie!… Expand

Best film i ve ever watched.

If only Hollywood made more films like this. I'm not talking theme here, or plot, but rather conviction and expression. It ain't perfect, but it's strengths are Herculean! A very gripping and involving film with outstanding performances from the entire cast, but especially Burstyn and Wayans. Given time to reflect, it is their two performances that stand out, as well as brilliant editing, novel cinematography and taut direction. Usually, one of the first facets of any film I look to critique is the screenplay. Oddly, with this film, I didn't. The script is really an irrelevance with this type of movie; we are watching the characters, living with them, and are utterly in the hands of the director. Aronofsky has delivered a powerful film and he is staid in his beliefs, unrelenting in voicing his message. And you will get it! This film succeeds where Leaving Las Vegas didn't. I don't wish to elaborate on that - just watch both and judge for yourself. At the least, watch this one - you won't forget it easily, and Burstyn's masterful skills will haunt you for days!… Expand

This movie wont let you move, the the artwork that is this movie is haunting, and it is some of the best ive ever seen.

This movie is one of the best movies I have ever seen. It's stunning cinematography and hauntingly appropriate violin score only add to the emotional power of a film about the world as it really is. In the world there are rarely the happy endings that we see in the movies and it scares most people, but thats what Aronofsky delivers. A compelling yet gut wrenching look at the world of drugs. It is unbearable to watch an oscar worhty Ellen Burstyn (who reminds you of your grandmother) go through such a terrible transformation. Her lonely saddened life along with her longing for something more becomes her eventual downfall and the tragic climax that the audience is forced to see leaves us devastated. Her son Harry even though somewhat ego-maniacal does not lack any sympathy. … Expand

One of the most powerful films I've ever watched. An amazing look at addiction of many types (drugs, entertainment, sex, affection) which illustrates in painful detail just how empty these things are.

What a downer. All junkies should be forced to see this movie with their eyes pried open a la Clockwork Orange.

Saw it, and ordered the dvd the day after. Just totally blew me away. I felt empty as the credits rolled, as if someone had grabbed my soul and dragged it out of me. Also the soundtrack is just so powerfull, never has a soundtrack had such in impact on me. And that Ellen didn't win the oscar is just unforgivable. One of my all time favourites, just behind Alien and Shawshank.

I would give it more than a ten if i could. This is the most powerful, thought provoking, most perfectly acted film I have ever seen (and yes, I've seen many of the so-called classics). I cried at the end. Burstyn was robbed, end of story.

Done 100 times, yes; like this, no. Unlike the typical drug flick--which ends either in a bloodbath or with two uber-hip, model-gorgeous junkies continuing on down the highway in a mint '63 Lincoln--this movie both beats you up and breaks your heart. No one dies, but everyone pays a price. Brutal, breathtaking, heartbreaking. You won't forget it.

They should show this in school. I'll never do drugs, and I have this movie to thank. Completely honest.

Perfect and heartbreaking. It's not the fancy FX but the performances that will haunt you.

Sorry Darren, you're not foolin this wily cat. I will give him credit for making a film that goes absolutely no where, dramatically or conceptually, seem 10X more complex than it actually is. Underneath the pretentious flash is a soul as or even more vacant as any mainstream Hollywood garbage.

In some ways, this is a bold American film made by someone with independent spirit and ingenuity. Feeling generous, we might confer upon Aronofsky the mantle of the daring artist, and there's no doubt that Aronofsky is bright, driven, and sharpwitted stylist. But is he saying anything new, unearthing some profound truth about modern life? Does he stand out of the crowd among the younger crop of filmmakers? I think not. To be fair, Aronofsky's use of slo-motion and fast-motion within the same frame is something I hadn't seen before, and the effect is devastating, illustrating the unbridgeable islands of human reality, that we may be few feet apart physically but in separate emotional universes; sort of like a one-shot Rashomon. Otherwise, while the movie's consistently gripping and watchable, our attention is generally maintained by endless dosages of visual fixes than with any startling discovery or revelation about desperate/delusional lives. Also, this notion of fuzzy reality has become a cliche, as the younger generation of filmmakers all seem to have been schooled not only in cinema and alot of dumb popmusic (notably rap and punk), but on drugs. I can see the average independent filmmaker, smoking alot of weed, occasionally doing harder stuff like heroin, feeling wild and creative and mistaking his scatterbrained mental imagery as the stuff of art. Sure, such can be the stuff of art, but it's now become the staple of every half-assed pretentious independent or quasi-independent(hollywood financed)movie. Whereas drugs like LSD pushed artists like David Lynch to look deeper under the facade of human consciousness, the newer directors seem fixated on the superficial effects of the drugs. You can see this in the aesthetics of David Fincher and his contemporaries. Enough already; and wouldn't it be more honest for the viewer to snort coke thru the nose than thru the eyes? Requiem may resemble Lynch's masterful, indeed tragic, Mulholland Drive but in fact it's closer a gonzo version of a Twilight Zone episode. It's clever and absorbing, eerie and unsettling but it's incomplete, sketchy, with ideas underprepared and half-digested. Aronofsky got all the ingredients together but didn't cook them long enough. Requiem is to art movie what Burton's Planet of the Apes is to today's action movie: all forward thrust with no rest stops. The rollercoaster effects may faithfully convey the mind of a junkie, but a movie should be more than the sum of its effects, which is why Taxi Driver is far more memorable, balancing the madness of its protagonist with the cerebral gaze by the author. Aronofsky overstates the theme of addiction. Judging from Rush Limbaugh's recent drug conviction, how obvious that addiction isn't simply a problem restricted to junkies but in how we live our lives, how we need endless distractions to keep our minds off reality, in order to hope for the impossible. And, Aronofsky is courageous in revealing there is no clear boundary between destructive addictive impulses and healthy instincts which, in their obsessive quality--sex, food, need for love and warmth--may be the very foundation of all addictions. Still, when everything in the movie is contextualized within the theme of addiction, Aronofsky is simplifying a complex subject, thinking like a drug addled paranoid himself. Sadly, the movie too closely resembles what it's attacking. Aronofsky shows the emptiness of dreams fed by our pop culture, by ambitions of overnight success, by craving for that wild rush of illusory euphoria. For beyond what the movie shows as the malaise of addictive behavior, there isn't anything else. And, Aronofsky, in his perhaps bold and noble attempt to show this ugly truth as it really is, goes over-the-top ala Oliver Stone(in Natural Born Killers)and revels in the very mess he's scrutinizing. The movie itself becomes little more than a fix, a wild rush of cinematic inventiveness that excites and thrills but brings us no nearer to truth, which is something that can't be said for Kubrick's masteful Clockwork Orange, which might have inspired certain aspects of Requiem. The two male leads are adequate playing silly mama's boys who think they're made for tougher things. Connelly looks great and shows real acting talent but her performance suffers from its sheer, gratuitous sleaziness. It's a sad phenomenon among pretty actresses that they feel inadequate and underappreciated as 'actors' and so must prove their worth by going over-the-top. Fonda did it politically by playing monkey on North Vietnamese artillery and Connelly, like many others, does it here by confusing baring her ass with baring her soul. She may think her skanky scenes faithfully depict the tragic downfall of her character, her debasement at the hands of greedy capitalistic men, but really, honey, you've been had by Aronofsky, just as Rossellini was duped by Lynch. Anyone seeking out the Director's Cut will not have Connelly's 'art' on his mind but her undulating ass. Don't fall for the hype, sister. The real performance in the movie belongs to Burstyn, so painful and total that it made me wonder about women like her I saw on subway trains. We dismiss them as crazies but this movie made me empathize, that their madness too may have been the end result of desperate lives, dashed hopes, and fixation of childish dreams. Ellen Burstyn role has raw power and exhibits a lifelong devotion to the art of acting, which ripens here to the point of bursty. It's a role as total, equally reckless and masterful, as Milland's in Lost Weekend. Also, as an actress who has seen better days, perhaps even personal, both a confession and a last hurrah. … Expand

F....ing deck. You know how it is. This is Chank and scheist, yea.

Just awesome...if you are in the drug's world you would enjoy it 1000, but if you don't know about these things, just shut up.

This is the best movie I have ever seen and only wish that I had been able to see it in the theatre.

I just liked it because it was so weird.

I would like to know jennifer connelly, biblically.

This movie is an intelligent, smart movie. It enforces its theme without any troubble, yet there is so much underlying the obvious.

This is a movie, that i personally got totally lost in. (and i mean that in a good way). It's so real and it torments me to watch it beause i know to an extent what i feels like to be addicted. I like how they gradually sink into the addiction so you can actually see what drugs do to you, and how much they impact your whole life.

This is a fantastic movie!!!!!!!!! Like duh it's god O.K.!!!!!

Drugs are bad, mmkay?

Despair so massive it almost swallows itself whole. That's the tone of this film. Doesn't appeal to you? Watch it anyway. It's just-so-important that it cannot be missed.

This was the best drama movie I have ever seen. It has extremly nice acting. The plot is great and the filming was better. I love the scene where they see Ellen Burnstyn cleaning her apartment. I also loved the cradle camera they had on the actors. I think the only reason it got a lousy 72 was because people thought it was too depressing for them. I saw Traffic the same year and could not figure out how anyone thought it was a better movie then this?? Traffic does not even compare to this movie. … Expand

One of the most shocking films ever made. It is a great film with supurb acting especially by Ellen Burstyn. This film makes you never want to take drugs.

Powerful indeed. Undoubdtedly delivers the intended messege.

This movie made me puke, and thats a good thing... if you don't see it, you aren't complete.