I’ve only watched Requiem for a Dream twice. The first time, I was having a great day until the film ruined it. The second time was the very next day, when I showed it to my then-girlfriend just to bring her down to my level. She didn’t speak to me for about a week after I told her she’d love this “dark comedy starring Shooter McGavin from Happy Gilmore and Jared Leto, the dreamy-eyed 30 Seconds to Mars frontman.”
I thought it was funny, but I digress.
Christopher McDonald and Ellen Burstyn in Requiem for a Dream
Requiem for a Dream is one of those films so flawless that you only need to watch it once because it sticks with you forever. Nobody in their right mind should want to repeatedly ride the emotional rollercoaster it offers, no matter how masterful it is.
A Movie That Forces You To Watch With Addict Eyes
There’s nothing vague about Requiem for a Dream. It shows how quickly addiction can drain the light from someone’s eyes as they chase their next fix. Jared Leto’s Harry Goldfarb schemes for money while dealing heroin with his best friend, Tyrone (Marlon Wayans). Harry dreams of helping his girlfriend, Marion (Jennifer Connelly), open a clothing store based on her designs, while Tyrone wants to save enough cash to move his mother out of the ghetto.
Jennifer Connelly and Jared Leto in Requiem for a Dream
Meanwhile, Harry’s mother, Sara (Ellen Burstyn), gets a call saying she has a chance to appear on TV. Determined to look her best, she crash diets and ingests amphetamines, as advised by her doctor.
With Requiem for a Dream’s characters established, Harry and Tyrone’s big plans unravel from their own recklessness, Marion is pulled into their desperate lifestyle against her better judgment, and Sara unwittingly becomes addicted to stimulants, slipping into psychosis.
An Emotional, And Visual Rollercoaster
Requiem for a Dream uses visual language better than almost any film. You see addiction grip its characters in unrelenting detail, from Sara’s teeth grinding to Harry’s pupils dilating as he shoots up. The dizzying sound design makes each sequence even more unsettling.
Ellen Burstyn in Requiem for a Dream
Most haunting of all are Sara’s hallucinations of her favorite TV personality, Tappy Tibbons (Christopher McDonald), speaking directly to her through the television (when Harry hasn’t pawned it). He validates her lonely existence, even as everyone else drifts out of reach.
Streaming Requiem For A Dream
If you’re flying high because you just got that big promotion, your girlfriend just said “yes” after you popped the question, and you finally made the down payment on your dream home, Requiem for a Dream is the perfect way to knock yourself down a peg. I don’t say that out of hatred for the film, but out of respect and admiration. That’s the best time to watch it; you don’t want to sit down with this one if you’re already in a dark place.
The dream in Requiem for a Dream
If everything’s going great and you’ve got the right support system, you can stream Requiem for a Dream for free on Tubi.
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