Requiem for a Dream is a poignant and painful experience. It’s like a car wreck that is so bad you want to look away but you can’t. What is perhaps the most sad and realistic part about this story, differentiating it from other movies, is that it exploits the selfishness of human nature. While every character in this narrative is intertwined, they all live in their own individual microcosm much more concerned about themselves than the people they love. They naïvely think that they are taking steps, with the involvement of drugs, that will allow them to ‘get ahead’. They foolishly think that they have power over drugs and will gain an advantage.

When they enter the drug trade Harry, Marion, and Tyrone are on top of the world. But after bailing Tyrone out of prison the group faces financial hardship and each character comes to terms with their value. Harry convinces Marion to prostitute herself for drug money. Harry and Tyrone leave Marion to venture to Florida to score drugs. Harry’s arm becomes infected and eventually amputated from his irresponsible heroin addiction. And all Harry’s mother cares about is fitting back into her red dress despite advice from her son.

Had these people not gotten involved in drugs they might not have been so blindsided to the harm they were subjecting themselves and others to. Like the adage goes “The road to hell is paved with good intentions” and while Sara, Harry, Marion, and Tyrone were all just trying to make their dreams come true they shouldn’t have expected to make an honest living out of a dirty habit.

I love the visual style of the movie. The close-ups of the dilated pupils, syringes, and drugs in bloodstream were both simultaneously enticing and repellent. So many details of this film were stomach-turning; Harry’s infected arm, Sara’s teeth grinding, Big Tim’s teeth, Marion’s sexcapades all contributed to making the viewer uneasy about the message and meaning of this film. I love this movie I just wish it didn’t have to be true. It reminds me of the rollercoaster ride we read about in Beautiful Boy.