Cult Crusade: Requiem for a Dream0

Okay, um, yeah. I just finished watching Requiem for a Dream. It was good, I think. To think just the other week I was talking about Ewoks. What a switch. This movie is certainly not about puppies, kittens and rainbows. There are a lot of things you can say about this movie but optimistic doesn’t come to mind. I’m sure if you asked anyone to sum it up in one word I’m certain you’ll get the same answer, “Depressing”. The movie deals with the family friendly subject matter of drugs and addiction. This ironically makes it a great subject for an article with some comic gold. Like this one: To say that Requiem for a Dream is dark, is like saying that Switzerland is a little hilly. Or: I know the Holocaust was terrible but have you seen Requiem for a Dream. Or: I really want to kill myself but I’m waiting for the Requiem for a Dream blu-ray, so I can set the mood. Okay maybe not comic gold but plenty of easy jabs. See that’s a needle pun, okay but I won’t push it. Wow, see they just write themselves now.

It is such a well shot, greatly acted and fantastically edited film. It’s a really good film. The problem is that it never gets to that point where you can say, “I’m enjoying this”. If you’re one of those “crazy” people who go to movies to be entertained with interesting stories, likeable characters and a satisfying emotional pay off (you know, movies that people like) than this may not be the movie for you. For example if you are feeling in anyway good about your life then I would suggest that you watch Forest Gump or Jerry Maguire, you know something a bit uplifting. However if you’re feeling really shit and down about you’re life then give it a look. Not because it’ll cheer you up in anyway but because I guarantee you’ll come out of it thinking “Wow at least I’m not one of those people”.

The movie focuses on four characters that have some kind of addiction. Mainly drugs but also television. Oh crap I might have that. But it isn’t about how someone battles with addiction and how he or she can overcome it, not at all, not this movie. This is more about how by letting addiction control you; it will eventually take you over the edge and into a dark pit from which there is no escape. See, cheery. If you want to watch an intense movie about drugs, drug users and addiction that you can still enjoy, I would recommend Trainspotting. It’s pretty well the same thing but with (somewhat) likable characters and a light at the end of the tunnel. There is also quite a bit of humour even if it is dark. I know some of you might be thinking “What? Trainspotting was depressing as hell”. That’s right Requiem for a Dream is more depressing then the movie with the dead baby scene, which may give you an idea of where this movie sits on the happiness scale.

It might be a little extreme but imagine if all kids under fifteen were made to watch this. Before you go gasping just have a think about it. Would you take up drugs if you saw graphic depiction of the brutal consequences of drug use?  When I say consequences I of course mean fun things like jail time, death, insanity, electroshock therapy, amputation and prostituted sodomy. Then again looking around at the teens of today they may actually be into some of that.

Other than how much of a downer this film is there really isn’t much I have to say. I’m really glad it has taken me this long to watch this film. I don’t know if I could have handled it if I had seen it back in high school. Like I said it is a really good film and I recommend giving it a look if you know upfront that there isn’t much happiness in it. Oh and it does have an awesome sound track and especially that one piece of music that is in just about every other movie trailer these days. I think I might go watch something a bit cheerier now. Maybe some old musical or Disney movie, hell I think Schindler’s List might cheer me up at this point.

Later

Rowan