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Drug addiction is the catalyst for some mind-altering cinematic pyrotechnics in 2000's Requiem for a Dream, a cautionary tale from director Darren Aronofsky. Based on the novel by Hubert Selby Jr., Requiem follows a young ne'er-do-well (Jared Leto), his upscale girlfriend (Jennifer Connelly), and his widowed mother (Ellen Burstyn) as they all learn the hard way about the dangers of substance abuse. There's a glimpse or two of the drug culture in Requiem, but for the most part the film probes internal landscapes. Those who've seen Aronofsky's debut film, Pi, will know that this is his strong suit, and he uses a textbook-filling array of cinematic devices to bring the addicts' hallucinatory experiences to the screen. This all builds steadily into a relentless barrage of manic intercutting that leaves some viewers exhilarated, others unnerved. While Leto and Connelly do very well in projecting a romantic chemistry that's smashed by the competing chemistry of addiction, Burstyn's Oscar-nominated performance is simply startling. Her diet-pill-induced downward slide is nothing short of horrific, as she transforms from a meek, mild-mannered, slightly overweight infomercial addict into an emaciated, deranged speed freak. Requiem starts out dark and only gets darker; it's not for the faint of heart. The Artisan DVD includes audio commentary by director Aronofsky, a making-of documentary, deleted scenes, and interviews with Burstyn and Selby. Gregory Baird

All Movie Guide

Based on the novel by Hubert Selby Jr., this gritty drama concerns four people trapped by their addictions. Harry (Jared Leto), and his best friend Tyrone (Marlon Wayans) are impoverished heroin addicts living in Coney Island, NY, while Harry's girlfriend Marion (Jennifer Connelly) is a fellow addict trying to distance herself from her wealthy father. Harry dreams of scoring a pound of smack, from which he could make enough money to open a clothing boutique with Marion, but so far he and his friends can barely scrape by supporting their own habits. Meanwhile, Harry's mother Sara (Ellen Burstyn), who spends her days watching television, is told she has the opportunity to appear on her favorite game show; wanting to lose enough weight to fit into her favorite red dress, she visits a sleazy doctor who gives her a prescription for amphetamines. Soon Sara has a drug habit of her own that is spiraling out of control. Requiem for a Dream was directed by Darren Aronofsky, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Selby; it was Aronofsky's second feature, following his acclaimed independent film Pi. Mark Deming

Entertainment Weekly

Requiem for a Dream may be the first movie to fully capture the way that drugs dislocate us from ourselves. Owen Gleiberman

Product Details

• UPC: 012236117056
• Source: LIONS GATE
• Region Code: 1
• Presentation: Wide Screen
• Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
• Language: English
• Subtitles: English
• Time: 1:42:00
• Sales Rank: 20,871

This DVD is also available as part of a box set:

• Requiem for a Dream / Pi
• Requiem for a Dream / Pi

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