Analysis Of Requiem For A Dream

Requiem for a Dream, directed by Darren Aaronowsky, tells the powerful tale of drugs as used in modern society. It highlights the lives of several characters living in New York City, and their experiences with the highs and lows of drug use. Harry Goldfarb, a young man who keeps pawning his mother's TV set to purchase heroin, spends his days with his girlfriend Marion Silver, one who is not a stranger to drugs, and his best friend Tyrone C. Love, a fellow drug-user, but more notably, a prospective "big-time" dealer. All three of these characters use drugs recreationally as they pass dreamily through the summer, unaware of the experiences yet to come.

Central to the story as well is Harry's mother, Sarah Goldfarb, a Jewish widow who spends her days glued to the TV watching monotonous infomercials. When she gets a phone call one day to appear on a TV game show, she becomes obsessed with trying to lose weight, fueling her passion to take diet pills comprised of speed and valium. Thereafter, Sarah's life changes forever, as her days are filled with euphoric highs and frustrating lows, leaving her exhausted and strung out, unable to fill her empty stomach with food.

As Harry's arm is amputated due to infections from heroin needles, Marion is forced into prostitution, Tyrone remains locked away in a penitentiary, and Sarah becomes emaciated from too many diet pills and in need of ECTs after being labeled "crazy," the audience is inspired through such troubling experiences that each character faces with drugs in this movie to never touch drugs, for extreme occurrences like those highlighted in the movie are easily unavoidable when drugs come into play. I especially enjoyed how director Darren Aaronowsky showed the pain and suffering associated with the "lows" of drugs. One second, the characters could be in a euphoric state, and in the next, they could be frustrated and depressed. I also really