Requiem for a dream

   

Requiem by definition is a song composed in memory of someone that has passed away.  So in the title of this movie Requiem for a dream, it is essentially talking about a song composed for a dream that is dead.  I find this to be very true in the fact that this movie depicts emotion and the mood of each part of the film by placing very vibrant music in to add depth.  The mood in this movie is primarily a dark one that revolves around a couple of younger guys and a girl friend to one of them trying to make it out of the slums by selling drugs.  What originally sounds like a great idea to the characters at first eventually flops due to their addiction to the same drugs they are selling.  It also falls on making a point that people will do anything in order to fit the Hollywood image including dieting and taking devastating weight loss pills.  This is shown when one of the characters mother wants to fit into a red dress to appear on a television show.  The red dress had ties to when her husband was still alive and everything was positive in her life.  But when it no longer fits she pushes herself to the limit and eventually ends up in a mental institution just to try and look great on television.

I think that in this film the director’s primary aim is to criticize society and social institutions and increase the viewer’s awareness of a social problem and the need to reform.   This movie does not focus on one character, but instead focuses on human nature and the effects that certain issues take on humanity.   The depth of Requiem for a dream falls far beyond the time that the film actually takes place.  A movie such as this pushes thought and perception of the ideals involved long after the movie has ended. 

This film makes a very significant statement in my eyes.  The statement is that it is good to dream big, but if your dream is to become rich, there may be more problems involved than meet the eye.  Even though they use drugs to pursue their dream of making it big, I feel that you could use many things as an example.  Ideally they prove the point the hardest through the world of drug dealing and addiction.  In conclusion this movie is definitely a classic and one that will be talked about for many years.  If you are looking for a very artfully directed and deep movie that will make you think about life as a whole Requiem for a dream is definitely a movie to watch.