"Requiem for a Dream" is a little too depressing to be a movie I would say that I like a lot. I don't mean that as any sort of disrespect, because it absolutely is a well made movie.
It is apparent that writer and director Darren Aronofsky successfully put together the movie he intended to make. Every character development point along their arc, every scene and even every frame fulfills its purpose. Drugs enter the lives of each character - an aimless young man, his girlfriend, his friend, and his widowed mother. They all experience the euphoric highs when using drugs, and they experience the swift and devastating lows. Desperation flows through each character.
Aronofsky creatively makes use of disorienting camera angles to illustrate the unhinged frame of mind that these people deal with while high. Closeups are meant to make viewers uncomfortable, as we are forced to closely encounter a manic drug addict. Aronofsky also uses intentionally repetitive drug use sequences to make clear how often they are using and how completely consumed their lives are by the drugs. Another creative touch I'll mention is his use of split screen of two characters who are lying right beside each other. At first it seems like a superfluous choice, but after consideration I realized that it is meant to show how alone these characters are, even when they are together.
What a depressing thought.
Fair warning to anyone who hasn't seen this yet: the movie is a bummer. Brace yourself.
It is apparent that writer and director Darren Aronofsky successfully put together the movie he intended to make. Every character development point along their arc, every scene and even every frame fulfills its purpose. Drugs enter the lives of each character - an aimless young man, his girlfriend, his friend, and his widowed mother. They all experience the euphoric highs when using drugs, and they experience the swift and devastating lows. Desperation flows through each character.
Aronofsky creatively makes use of disorienting camera angles to illustrate the unhinged frame of mind that these people deal with while high. Closeups are meant to make viewers uncomfortable, as we are forced to closely encounter a manic drug addict. Aronofsky also uses intentionally repetitive drug use sequences to make clear how often they are using and how completely consumed their lives are by the drugs. Another creative touch I'll mention is his use of split screen of two characters who are lying right beside each other. At first it seems like a superfluous choice, but after consideration I realized that it is meant to show how alone these characters are, even when they are together.
What a depressing thought.
Fair warning to anyone who hasn't seen this yet: the movie is a bummer. Brace yourself.