Requiem For A Dream

This film takes a look into the despairing lives of four drug addicts in New York City. It spans over 3 seasons in the lives of Harry Goldfarb, his mother Sara, his girlfriend Marion, and his friend Tyrone. Although each character's story is different, they are all connected.

The mother Sara is an elderly woman who spends her time watching infomercials on television. After receiving a call that she will be invited to the taping of a live TV show, she becomes over-obsessed with her appearance and insists on fitting in the red dress she wore at her son's high school graduation. She then begins to take weight loss pills throughout the day, and a sedative at night; all are prescription drugs . Although her behavior becomes severely altered, she insists that the chance to be on television has given her a reason to live, as if the 60-odd years of her life haven't meant anything at all. As she waits and waits for her invitation to arrive by mail, she grows impatient and begins popping more pills. Eventually Sara is hospitalized and placed in a mental institution due to the severe damage she has brought upon herself. To end Sara's story, as she rots away in a psycho ward, she has a dream about being on television and winning a prize.

Harry and Tyrone are avid heroin abusers and addicts. Along with Marion, the three enter the drug dealing business to try to reach their dreams; an attempt at their American Dreams. With the constants pressures and complications the group faces, the drug business begins to crumble. Tyrone is imprisoned and Harry must use the drug money to release him. Meanwhile, the supplier has left the NYC are indefinitely, forcing Harry and Tyrone to head south to Florida to try to rebuild. However, Harry's arm has become badly infected because of constant needle insertion, and he and Tyrone visit the hospital. The two are arrested and Tyrone is sent to jail to face hard labor, withdrawal and unrelenting police officers all on his own. Harry wakes in in a prison hospital with his arm amputated. Meanwhile, Marion begins to sell herself for money and cocaine.

I know this is a drawn out summary but I have found that many people have not seen this movie, so I thought a plot summary would be necessary. The existentialist qualities are seen in how the film ends. Each character begins the film feels there is a void in their life, and when the opportunity presents itself, each character seizes it. Sara wishes dearly to be on TV. Harry and Tyrone want to be kingpin drug dealers. Harry is in it for the business propositions, and Tyrone wants to make his mother proud by his being wealthy. Marion wants to open a clothing store. Each character finds the means to their ends in drugs, and in the end, the once connected characters are forever separated and trapped in an everlasting world of despair.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuzNohk5cYw&feature=fvst

This is the final scene of the movie in which each of the characters accept their fates and all they can do is curl up in the fetal position.