Requiem For A Dream

Requiem For a Dream is a 1978 novel and the film released in 2000. A man named Selby wrote the novel while Darren Aronofky directed the film. It won an Oscar for best actress for Ellen Burstyn. This article details both the film and novel. 

Requiem for a dream

The novel started it all. It follows four people, all with some relationship to each other. The group is Harry, Marion, Tyrone and Sara. Harry and Marion are lovers. Tyrone is their friend. Sara is Harry's mother. Each of them become obsessed with getting their dream. They have all become dependent on anything in pursuit of their dreams. Sara wants to appear on television. When a casting manager suggests that she can receive a TV role, she begins to take slimming pills. She ends up in hospital. The other three are heroin dealers. But like many retailers are the users. No happy endings. 

Sarah and Harry are the center of the film, but Marion and Tyrone are still displayed. The plot follows the novel quite closely. True to the novel all the action takes place in summer, autumn and then winter. 

Sara likes to watch infomercials. She has nothing to do but eat. She realizes it makes her fat. She eventually learns that she can appear on the infomercial. She decides she wants to wear an old red dress that no longer fit her. She takes up an aggressive diet. A doctor gives her some amphetamines to help her lose weight. She quickly becomes addicted. It makes her grind her teeth. 

Requiem for a Dream movie

Harry and Tyrone decide to deal drugs. They want to one day be able to score a pound of heroin. Marion plans to use Harry's money to buy a shop where she can sell her clothing designs. Tyrone's goal is to end his life living on the street. 

Sara's Addiction is worse in autumn. She increased the dose because it is no longer helping her. Soon she begins to hallucinate about her refrigerator moves around the house. Harry and Tyrone run afoul of the police. They will spend what they earned in the summer to bail Tyrone our of jail. Not only is it harder and harder to find quality heroin, but they use more and more of what they buy. 

The end of the movie is very sad. Winter is the worst season of all in the film. Harry is in hospital after throws from a roof top is Sara institutionalized, Tyrone is in prison, and Marion is hopelessly dependent on heroin. Only Harry, if the pain keeps him in the real world, not retreat into his own mind.