I must say when Requiem for a Dream was chosen as one of the first four films to review in our new movie review club I wasn't all too excited to watch it. Not because I had heard the film is overly dark and disturbing, but because I expected to be extremely bored. And I was.
Requiem for a Dream follows four individuals as they completely trash their lives by drugging out. I never got into the film until the final 30 minutes, I found the first hour and fifteen minutes tedious and by the time the lives of the characters finally began to spiral into oblivion I really didn't care. Call me insensitive but I've never felt too sorry for people who intentionally seem to be self destructive. No matter what your situation in life you always have a choice, you choose the wrong one you pay the consequences.
What I'm most shocked about, maybe more so confused, is the outpouring of love for this film, I could hardly find a low rating anywhere. Netflix had prepared me for the worst, stating average raters like myself only give this film 1.9 stars (very astute Netflix), what the other million or so people are smoking giving it an average of 3.9 stars I don't want to know. I grasp the film's artsy appeal and the fact that it does a petty decent job of getting the point across that drugs screw up your life, but I never needed a movie to understand that, common sense was enough for me. I'm also lost when people start referring to this as the most powerful film they've ever seen, and that it's so disturbing that they were thinking about it for weeks. Am I truly in the Twilight Zone here because I don't understand it!?!
Frankly I found the story lacking any real depth, I'd compare it at best to a dramatic version of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, another popular drug film that stumps me. I'll admit the final 30 minutes definitely boosted the film to a whole other level, and had the first hour and fifteen minutes had a similar pace I would at least understand some of the praise. It may be that the conclusion is so griping that most viewers forgot about the mediocre and slow pace of the beginning. It's not uncommon for the human brain to judge something based on what was processed last therefore completely discounting the quality of what came prior.
Overall, I get why some people would like this film, but I don't get why everyone loves it. First off the whole point of movie watching in my opinon is entertainment. There is no entertainment here, I think everyone can agree on that. If your among the millions who find this film powerful, moving and disturbing your realistically not enjoying yourself. For me I found most of the film to be tedious and tiresome. I'll give Aronofsky some minor credit; 1) for an awesome musical score, 2) for a very convincing performance of by Ellen Burstyn, and 3) for a pretty awesome conclusion. But with that said I can't overlook the fact that a majority of the film was boring, the story as a whole was thin and uninteresting, and overall was completely drug out, pun intended.
I am shocked that you were bored during this film.I was thoroughly involved throughout the entire thing.
ReplyDeleteYou'd be wrong if you say people don't get enjoyment out of a movie like Requiem for a Dream. It's a pretty constant fixture in my top 25 favorite movies. Just because it's not "fun" doesn't prevent my enjoyment. But we fundamentally disagree on the "entertainment" thing anyway, so it's all good.
ReplyDeleteThe slow beginning, in my opinion, is actually essential to the film. Unless you buy into the characters, which you didn't so it's a moot point, you don't care what happens to them. The movie isn't really about drug addiction per say, that's just the way these people have choses to cope with their serious problems. They have other very deep problems that the drug addiction brings to light. That's the part I find interesting.
Can't wait to see you rip into Magnolia. Talk about a poorly paced, 3+ hour, film. The thought of watching it again is actually causing Fey and I pain.
@Afindeol - Yea I haven't seen Magnolia either but after I watched the trailer I saw what I was in for. Oh well, if anything I do gain a small bit of enjoyment out of writing a ranting review, especially about films everyone seems to love except myself. Ironically sometimes those turn out to be my favorite reviews!
ReplyDelete@Danny King - uninterested then maybe, I actually sat through the entire film so it didn't bore me to sleep, just failed to live up to any of the hype everyone seems to give it, at least for me.
Oh, Answer, you are one of the first people who gave low mark to this movie. And I must say I totally agree with you. The movie really is rather monotonous and the only good part is Ellen Burstyn, but she's almost always amazing and convincing.
ReplyDeleteDezmond you are officially my new best friend, I'm glad I'm not alone in the Twilight Zone! :)
ReplyDeleteWow! I can't believe you were bored, this film really mesmerized me. But I can appreciate the arguments you bring up. Especially if you're just looking for an entertaining ninty minutes, and not wanting to be preached to.
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