Thrown Into Withdrawal
May 30th, 2001Who ‘da thought that a movie about a Coney Island junkie and his speed freakin’ mom would be so compelling to watch, and so intensely breathtaking at the same time. I’m talking about none other then Requiem for a Dream, the sophisticatedly stylish movie adaptation of the novel by Hubert Selby, Jr.
This movie, while based on a story written in the late 1970’s, plays out a timelessly tragic tale of love, addiction, and shattered dreams. The sophomore effort of Darren Aronofsky, the acclaimed director of π, Requiem is an outstanding artistic endeavor, full of psychotic visions, reckless indulgences, and the lost hopes and fears that affect us all. This film is perhaps as successful at being human as Blow is at being shallow. And the DVD cleverly takes you in from the very first second of static.
My recommendation: Rent it today, even if you’ve already seen it in the theatres or read the book. Although depressing by the very nature of the story, this movie does not disappoint. In my mind, it is probably one of the best movies to come out in 2000!