Movie Review of Requiem for a Dream - Essay Example

Hence, what really disturbs the viewer is the strong graphic representation of the painful and miserable conditions that addictions can lead human beings to. All the four characters in the movie, i.e. Sara Goldfarb, her son Harry, Harry’s girlfriend Marion and his friend Tyrone, are shown addicted to drugs. Although Sara’s addiction to drugs begins later in the movie, she is shown addicted to the idea of being on a television show. She is so obsessed with the idea of being on TV that her whole life revolves around it.

She spends most of her time watching the TV show, and fantasizing about being on that show. Her obsession with the dream becomes so strong that when she gets a call to tell her that she is chosen to be invited on the show, she starts taking pills to reduce weight in order to fit in her favorite red dress, that she plans to wear on show. She gets addicted to the weight loss amphetamine pills and becomes delusional and psychotic. Through the character of Sara, the movie has sent a message that addictions are not only related to drugs but are also related to media, weight and looks.

The movie has also dealt with the idea of how addiction can lead human beings towards psychiatric problem, crime, aggression and sex. For example, Harry thinks that he will get out of bad life of addiction and illegal drug trade once he makes enough money to start a business with Marion. However, when things do not go as planned, he convinces Marion to have sex with her psychiatrist in exchange of money. This brings a rift in their relationship and from this point on, things start going out of control and their dream start falling apart by blows from the ‘reality’.

In this way, the movie represents the menace of drug addiction and how it makes the characters desperately enslaved to the addiction. However, the real theme of the movie is the true cause of the addiction, which lies in the lack of bonding and love in the family. Theme The underlying theme of the movie is lack of bonding between parents and children. Sara and her son Harry are shown getting emotionally distant from each other after death of Sara’s husband. Sara protects her son Harry even when she knows that he makes money by selling the TV set that he steals from home.

This shows the helplessness of a mother. The fear of losing him and his love keeps her from confronting him. She is forced to find a companion in a TV set. She believes that her involvement in weight reduction to fit in a red dress that she wore on Harry’s graduation, has renewed her interest in otherwise miserable and empty life. Harry is also shown losing his girlfriend Marion, to addiction. The dependence on drugs and the sexual favors for money makes Marion feel miserable and filthy. Tyrone is shown missing his mother and dreaming of making her proud one day.

However, his dream never becomes a reality as his involvement in drug trade lands him in prison. Lack of love and family makes Tyrone more addicted and enslaved to drugs. In this way, every character thinks that once they get what they dream, they will leave the drugs. However, they fail to realize that it is the drugs that are driving them to desire the delusional world, and the addiction will never let them get out of the vicious cycle of ‘just one more time,’ which is a common habit of addicts.

The picture of despair, misery and helplessness of the characters in the