Based on Hubert Selby Jr.’s 1978 novel Last Exit to Brooklyn, Requiem for a Dream is a bleak chronicle of 4 Brooklyn residents withering under their addictions. Harry Goldfarb (Jared Leto) is a young junkie. He and his friend Tyrone (comedian Marlon Wayans) pursue careers in the drug trafficking business in an urgent attempt to appease their own habits and sustain some semblance of normalcy. Harry’s girlfriend, Marion (played by the ravishing Jennifer Connely) sticks around for what turns out to be a very bumpy ride. Harry’s mom, Sara (Ellen Burstyn) is utterly clueless and pathetic as she falls hard for appetite suppressants.
All four characters are highly memorable, and great performances abound. Director Darren Aronofsky (Pi) gives the film a vigorous but stark feel that’s well-suited to the storyline. Unlike Trainspotting, I doubt that anyone will ever accuse this film of making heroin addiction look glamorous.
Uplifting this film is not, but if you’re in the mood for a shot of cold realism, Requiem for a Dream is excellent.