Requiem For A Dream for Download

A Cinematic Addiction

Chris Wilkins from Winchester, England , 10/02/2004

Harrowing, brutal and gut wrenching, 'Requiem' is one film that reverses, spins and spits out the normally passive senses and emotions that one receives with a film watching. The audience is jerked into sitting up straight with the visceral editing, the subtle and jarring score and haunted performances of the cast. Discursive, intrusive, and abrasive, a truely individual and affecting piece of cinema.

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Requiem for a mush heed

A customer from Sunderland , 03/07/2005

This film made me want to take an overdose. it was brilliant, I hated it.

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Pyschological Warning!

MattBurn from Notts , 12/10/2004

This is my favourite film of all time. A truly excellent film should touch you, make a difference to your day, and have a long lasting effect on you. The incredible impact of Requiem does not lessen with each viewing, each and every time it is an emotional rollercoaster, with SO many 'heart in your mouth' moments! You'll smile with contentment, jump with fear, cry in dismay, and go pure crazy with shock! I've never shown this film to anyone who did not sit there in disbelief and amazement after it's intensely traumatic ending.

When I first viewed it, the guy behind the counter said, 'Are You Sure? This film will mess you up, I guarantee it!', and I protested, saying 'No film is THAT messed up!'

This one is. I promise you.

The cinematography is incredible; adapted from a near perfect book by Hubert Selby Jr. (which I highly recommend), the hugely entertaining and captivating story is perfectly translated to screen by Aronovsky et al.

The film lulls you into a false sense of security, makes you think everything is going to be ok. You enjoy the interesting hip-hop montage camera shots, and have a few giggles. Then it slowly but surely smacks you around the face with an iron bar, until you are black, blue and maybe even a nice sickly green. It's a build up of emotional, visual and audio assaults on the viewer, and you cannot get away from it.

Not that you'll want to.

Watch this film now! But be warned.

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21st century anti-drugs movie

Imran from London , 10/06/2004

If you want to warn anyone about the dangers of hard drugs show them this film! It is one of the most intense films I have ever seen, I can't say I enjoyed it but it certainly was mightily impressive watching it build to a crescendo of pain and suffering. A modern day classic.

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Detached, depressing, but well worth watching!

JWelsh from London , 29/08/2008

'The hopes and dreams of four ambitious people are shattered when their drug addictions begin spiraling out of control' is how IMDB describes this film, which is in essence the story. However dont be too mislead by the drug addiction angle, as while it is an important part, Aronofsky simply uses it as a device, to propel the characters on their journey. This can be aptly seen by the way in which he shoots the drug taking scenes, making them extremely brief and inconsequential, as his main focus is the characters. All of them have big dreams of what they would like to do with their lives, however from the beginning we see that they are deluded dreams, as they believe that drugs and fame are the answer to all their problems.

Aronofsky shows great directorial flair and resists the urge to play for sympathy for his deluded characters, which makes the finale all the more powerful. Also the idea of the quick buck and five minutes of fame still resonates as strongly now, as it did when it was made.

While all the characters put in good, if rather detached performances. Ellen Burstyn shines as the desperate, lonely and accidentally drug addicted mother. Worth watching for her superbly judged acting alone, as she slides toward her ultimate and somewhat inevitable fate.

This film wont be to every ones taste, its more commercial art house than these actors usual offerings. Its also fair to say that this could be one of the most depressing movies ever made. But for something a bit different, this is a very subtly powerful film. Well worth renting if you want to broaden your American cinematic horizons.

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great

omega from London , 22/08/2008

this film is an eye opener .It is a brutally honest way of looking at drug use It is well shot using speeded up film . Marion and Harry are a young couple sucked in drug use and Harry`s mother Sara Goldfarb becomes hooked on downers . We are drawn into their world.

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