Requiem for a Dream (2000)

The drug-induced utopias of four Coney Island people are shattered when their addictions run deep.

Director:

Darren Aronofsky

Writers:

Hubert Selby Jr. (based on the book by), Hubert Selby Jr. (screenplay)

Stars:

Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly

Top Rated Movies #91 | Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 38 wins & 69 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ellen Burstyn	...	Sara Goldfarb
Jared Leto	...	Harry Goldfarb
Jennifer Connelly	...	Marion Silver
Marlon Wayans	...	Tyrone C. Love
Christopher McDonald	...	Tappy Tibbons
Louise Lasser	...	Ada
Marcia Jean Kurtz	...	Rae
Janet Sarno	...	Mrs. Pearlman
Suzanne Shepherd	...	Mrs. Scarlini
Joanne Gordon	...	Mrs. Ovadia
Charlotte Aronofsky	...	Mrs. Miles
Mark Margolis	...	Mr. Rabinowitz
Michael Kaycheck	...	Donut Cop (as Mike Kaycheck)
Jack O'Connell	...	Corn Dog Stand Boss
Chas Mastin	...	Lyle Russel

Storyline

Sara Goldfarb (Ellen Burstyn) is a retired widow, living in a small apartment. She spends most of her time watching TV, especially a particular self-help show. She has delusions of rising above her current dull existence by being a guest on that show. Her son, Harry (Jared Leto) is a junkie but along with his friend Tyrone (Marlon Wayans) has visions of making it big by becoming a drug dealer. Harry's girlfriend Marion (Jennifer Connelly) could be fashion designer or artist but is swept along in Harry's drug-centric world. Meanwhile Sara has developed an addiction of her own. She desperately wants to lose weight and so goes on a crash course involving popping pills, pills which turn out to be very addictive and harmful to her mental state.

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Plot Keywords:

drug addiction | sex show | sex scene | addiction | heroin | 

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Taglines:

From the director of [Pi]

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for intense depiction of drug addiction, graphic sexuality, strong language and some violence

Did You Know?

Trivia

While filming the scene between Tyrone C. Love and his girlfriend, Alice, played by Aliya Campbell, Darren Aronofsky remembers Marlon Wayans performing it very seriously. Not getting what he wanted and knowing the time crunch they had to get the scene done, Aronofsky told Wayans to stop acting "like a serial killer." "Once again I prove to the world that I'm more of a pornographer than I am a filmmaker," says Aronofsky as the film fades into the sex scene between Tyrone and Alice. The director notes he really enjoyed shooting the scene mainly because of the actors. "Sex scenes can be fun to shoot," he notes.

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Goofs

(at around 1h 35 mins) When the two ladies visit Sara and are outside sitting on a bench, you can clearly see at the right lower part of the bench the cotton trying to appear as snow.

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Quotes

Young Tyrone: I told you I would make it, Mama.
Tyrone's Mother: Oh, you don't have to make anything, my sweet, you just have to love your mother.

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Crazy Credits

The man on the train who says "You're whacked" to Sara when she tells him that she's going to be on TV is credited as "You're Whacked".

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Alternate Versions

Available in both the uncut, unrated version and an edited, original theatrical R-rated version (mainly for conservative rental stores like Blockbuster.)

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Connections

Referenced in Inside 'The Fountain': Death and Rebirth (2007)

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Soundtracks

Bialy & Lox Conga
Performed by The Moonrats
Marcel Reginatto - Saxophone, Vocals
Brian Emrich - Bass Guitar, Vocals
Oscar Oñoz - Trumpet, Vocals
Theodore Birkey - Keyboards, Vocals
Tico Torres (as Hector Torres) - Percussion, Vocals
Darren Aronofsky - Vocals
Engineered, Programmed and Mixed by James Murphy for DFA at Plantain Recording House NYC

User Reviews

the summary of a history.

being someone who had a history with drugs, i found this movie to be slightly more than ground-breaking. i saw this film in the midst of a downward spiral, and it turned me right around! having friends with the same plans, such as sell drugs to buy more drugs..it made me look at my life and theirs and see exactly what the future had in store.

now, every time i see this movie since escaping that life, i cry. i cry for my past and those who still live in it. this movie has more to say to people my age than any drug education movie we were afforded in school. honestly, i wonder when the school systems will wisen up to what is really going to get kid's attention; movies that show that pros as well as the cons of drugs, or a movie that shows the complete and utter devastation drugs will bring to your life, and the lives of those around you. honestly, had i seen this film before my sophomore year of high school, i would have never even dreamed of taking more than the prescribed dose of advil.

granted, my little summary or comment of this movie does not entail anything informative about the movie itself, i must say, i feel this is the best way i know to express my views.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 December 2000 (USA)

Also Known As:

Requiem for a Dream

Filming Locations:

Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$4,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$64,770, 8 October 2000

Gross USA:

$3,635,482

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$7,390,108

Company Credits

Production Co:

Artisan Entertainment, Thousand Words, Sibling Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Surround 7.1 Dolby Digital Dolby Atmos

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1