Hey folks, from the BOSTON FILM FESTIVAL comes Nonentity with his look at REQUEIM FOR A DREAM... the new Darren Aronofsky (PI) directed film. The trailer for this film... their website and everything actually looks waaay friggin cool, but we haven't heard that much in terms of the quality of the movie. Well... it sounds... non-traditional as all hell, and we'll just have to wait and see... but from what Nonentity says... It's pretty damn good.
I haven't seen a lot of views online about Requiem for a Dream, the new film from Pi director Darren Aronofsky, so I figured I'd give it a go. I just got back from the Boston Film Festival screening were Aronofsky and actress Ellen Burstyn were in attendance. But that's neither here nor there. The main gist of this is the film, and it certainly merits discussion.
First of all, For those that like to get an impression without reading the whole review, I'll say that I liked the film. Well, maybe like is the wrong word. It's a film that's hard to like in the same way that Schindler's List is hard to like. It's not easy to sit through, by any means. This is, after all, directed by the man who, in his last film, treated us to the image of a guy drilling a hole in his head. At the screening I attended, some guy got up and left during the climax, but those who stayed were treated to one of the most visually stimulating movies of late.
OK, I realize this review is rambling and disheveled, but consider the subject matter I'm working with. I don't want to give away anything, so suffice it to say that Requiem for a Dream is a story of addictions. It is also very, very grim. No one is going to come away from this movie saying, "Hey, I'd like go do some heroin," unless you're saying it to your friends as a joke, as I did. No, the narrative structure of Requiem is very clearly a downward spiral. Things start out pretty lousy and it's all downhill from there.
The performances across the board were great. Jared Leto and Marlon Wayans give performances of depth unindicated in their previous work. Ellen Burstyn... well, maybe I'm dating myself by saying I wasn't immediately familiar with her work. I'm actually glad she was there in the theatre so I could get an idea of what she's like normally, and be able to tell what a fantastic job she did transforming herself in the film. The scenes between her and Jared Leto as her son packed an intense emotional whallop, something that was missing from the flashy visuals in Pi. Then there's Jennifer Connelly, who also does a terrific job. And looks great. Also be on the lookout for several Pi alums in small roles and, strangely enough, two actors from Happiness.
The visuals take center stage, however. Drug movies are tough to do right. Aronofsky spends surprisingly little time showing us what these characters are seeing. In other words, there are very few "Baby on the Ceiling" scenes in this movie. Instead, as their perception goes askew so does ours. There aren't that many specific visual hallucinations, but the camera seems to be high. I was a little dissapointed with the inclusion of the done-to-death steady cam walking shot (a la Smashing Pumpkins' 1979 video), but on the whole the visuals were incredibly original, and one is left wondering what Aronofsky could do with a Batman film if it were given to him. Also noteworthy is the score by Clint Mansell of Pi and Pop Will Eat Itself fame, who makes great use of the Kronos Quartet to create music that's not only listenable, but truly enhances the experience of watching the movie.
Requiem for a Dream is also noteworthy because it may be the only NC-17 movie to hit theatres in years. I can't think of one since Showgirls. While it's certainly nowhere near the level of that flesh-fest, there is enough nudity to make the MPAA squirm at the thoughts of little kids seeing it. Overall, I'd rather let a 12 year-old sit through hours worth of porno before seeing this. Because it's the images and the message that disturb you. Actually, I take that back. I'd force a 12 year-old to sit through this movie. Because Aronofsky has made what night be one of the most potent anti-drug movies ever. No one in this movie ever seems glamorous on drugs. They're aimless, and eventually they're destroyed.
Overall, Requiem for a Dream isn't the sort of movie I could easily sit through again soon, which is good, because it doesn't come out until November. Nor is it destined to be a boxoffice smash. What it provides is an exciting example of a filmmaker bursting with talent. It's not everybody's cup of tea, to be sure, but if you're in the market for a well directed, visually exciting film with great acting and a powerful message, aren't squeamish and don't mind a movie that's a real downer, I'd highly recommend it. That is, if your local theatre will even play an NC-17 movie.
-nonentity
