Darren Aronofsky's movies can never be ignored, and in 2000, he released the shocking drama Requiem For A Dream, which he wrote and directed. In recent years, he made the perplexing horror film Mother! and the controversial drama The Whale. But back at the beginning of his career, he released Requiem For A Dream, the famous movie with an all-star cast of Marlon Wayans, Jennifer Connelly, Jared Leto, and Ellen Burstyn. Burstyn received a Best Actress Oscar nomination for her performance.
Some of the best Darren Aronofsky movies include Black Swan and The Wrestler. Many have confusing endings and moments that blend reality with fantasy. That is certainly true of Requiem For A Dream, which has a sad and fascinating conclusion.
What Happens In Requiem For A Dream?
In Requiem For A Dream, Sara Goldfarb (Ellen Burstyn)'s child Harry (Jared Leto), Harry's pal Tyrone C. Love (Marlon Wayans) and Harry's girlfriend Marion Silver (Jennifer Connelly) are addicted to heroin and decide that they should sell it so they can do what they want to in life. While Jared Leto starred in some underrated movies, many count Harry in Requiem For A Dream as one of his most captivating and arresting performances.
The characters are well-developed and wish that their lives could be better. It's easy to empathize with them, although there isn't a single moment when audiences don't worry that they are going down a scary and dangerous path. They all want to succeed and they're all charming and interesting. But they keep making the wrong choices and that leads them down a terrible road that doesn't seem like it will end well.
Ellen Burstyn, who became famous after playing Chris MacNeil in The Exorcist, one of the best 1970s horror movies, delivers an incredible and heartbreaking performance in Requiem For A Dream. She wants her life to look different and more exciting than it is, and that is what ultimately ruins her. Sara begins to spiral when she begins abusing amphetamines so she can drop pounds and go on a game show, which she feels will give her fame and happiness. But this drug use affects her mental health. It's awful watching what happens to her.
What Happens At The End Of Requiem For A Dream?
The Requiem For A Dream ending is sad. The police arrest Tyrone and Harry when they go to the hospital and see Tyrone's messed up arm. Sara isn't able to function anymore and Marion begins sex work so she can make money and get drugs.
While some 2000s movies don't hold up, Requiem For A Dream is as heartbreaking today as it was when it was released. The characters realize that they were wrong to believe that drugs could save them. And they know that it's too late to turn back, which is the toughest realization of all.
The movie ends with the main characters in terrible states and trying to comfort themselves. Tyrone is being mistreated in prison and it's clear that he, Marion, Harry, and Sara won't see each other again. Sara has a vision that she won the game TV show and that she and Harry, who has gotten married and is doing well now, hug. Instead of a satisfying end to a horror movie when the final girl succeeds and gets back to her old life, the Requiem For A Dream ending makes audiences wish that the four characters could find their way back to a time before substances took over their lives.
How Does The Requiem For A Dream Ending Compare To The Book?
Requiem For A Dream is adapted from the book by Hubert Selby Jr., which was published in 1978. The plot is exactly the same and centers around Sara's wish to be a TV star. The author also wrote Last Exit To Brooklyn, which was published in 1964. Selby Jr.'s stories are about people living in New York City and experiencing all kinds of loss, pain, and problems.
Like the best adaptations of Neil Gaiman's work and great TV shows based on Stephen King novels, the Requiem For A Dream movie makes sure to respect the source material. The ending of the book and the movie see Tyrone having a horrible time in jail. The main characters are lost, lonely, and separated from each other.
It's possible to want to see how Harry and the people in his life fare years into the future and hope that they are doing much better. But as the movie shares, nothing about their lives is easy, and they might never achieve the dreams that they wanted to. Requiem For A Dream is a powerful movie about the challenges of addiction, and it's not a story that audiences can quickly forget.