Darren Aronofsky
Requiem For A Dream

Four characters, four different stories, one single dream (that of making it), a single major problem: drugs.

Forget the "charming rogues" from 'Trainspotting': there's no room for smiles here. Sara Goldfarb (excellently portrayed by Ellen Burstyn) is an elderly woman who, after the death of her husband, spends her days in front of the television, which becomes her reason for living. Her son Harry (a gaunt Jared Leto, who reportedly lost 30kg to play this character) is an addict involved in a romantic relationship with Marion (the beautiful Jennifer Connelly), who also struggles with drug addiction. Tyrone is a black friend of Harry's, and needless to say, he's an addict too.

The story unfolds through parallel tales that, despite their differences, incredibly intertwine until a common epilogue, leaving no hope. Let's not beat around the bush, no one comes out clean from this story. Sara is invited to participate in one of the TV quizzes that fill her days and decides to lose weight to fit into a red dress that her late husband adored. She begins a diet, and after initially failing to see results, on a friend's advice, she consults a doctor who unknowingly prescribes amphetamines. We witness the slow decline of this woman, as we gradually enter her mind that begins to waver, distorting reality, increasingly afflicted by the drug dependency and obsession with becoming perfect to redeem her lackluster public image. Meanwhile, Harry and Tyrone try to make it big with small-time dealing, which goes so well that they think bigger but fall victim to events. Marion doesn't fare much better, driven by withdrawal crises to gamble herself (I can't reveal how so as not to spoil the viewing). Behind each protagonist, as I was saying, lies a desire to escape the past that resurfaces, spreading a sense of inadequacy so overwhelming that it guides actions until the not at all reassuring epilogue.

Released in 2000 and expertly directed by Darren Aronofsky, "Requiem For A Dream" is perhaps one of the most hallucinatory films I have ever seen, an extrasensory experience of ninety minutes that leaves a bitter taste and a sense of unparalleled disorientation. The direction is truly interesting, with its constant accelerating and decelerating, the repetitive sequences conveying more than a thousand words about the vicious circle the protagonists fall into, the unusual and creative shots, that absolute sense of participating in the delirium of the protagonists' hallucinated minds. It might indulge a bit in the iconographic, often feeling like watching commercial images, but nonetheless, it proves to be a great mastery. All wrapped in the beautiful soundtrack by Clint Mansell, supported by the Kronos Quartet.

Among the flaws, I note the usual glossy "made in USA" style, despite the production's "indie" flair: I've never seen an addict, three days into withdrawal, well-shaven and dressed. Minor sins aside, the viewing remains recommended, taking a big breath before diving in.