Requiem for a dream (2000)
At the end of the day, what do we all want? I think that is the problem. We do not know what we want and we try to fill it up with all the things as they come along trying to chase an elusive dream, the merit of which is unknown in the first place. Everybody wants happiness and freedom as their ultimate goal. Happiness that allays them of all the uncertainties of life albeit its short-lasting euphoria but the longer lasting detrimental effects. Freedom for what? They feel free but free from what? Free to do what? This conundrum that has been plaguing Man from antiquity continues do so even as he has explored many frontiers far and near.
A bored elderly widow with a addiction for game show, her son with an illicit drug addiction problem who yearns to prove himself to be a somebody, his best friend also a partner in crime and the son’s girlfriend, a daughter of a wealthy man but with psychological dependence on drugs form the basis of this movie.
Sara, the retired lady, leads an extremely boring routine of watching game show re-runs, sunning herself and chatting with her neighbours. It looks like a routine for her son Harry to monetise things in the flat for his fix. She even has to chain the TV.
One day, Sara gets excited over a spam call placing her as a possible contestant in her favourite game show. She gets all riled up as if she is already chosen. She tells her neighbours, does her hair and dream of fitting into her lovely red dress that her husband used to admire. She is a tad bit overweight, so she seeks the help of a doctor who puts her on a concoction of drugs. The medications do not show the desired effect, so she self-medicates, becomes delusional, hallucinates and is eventually hospitalised for psychosis.
Harry and his band of friends try to hit the jackpot by pushing drugs. The biggest mistake that they do is they indulge in drugs to relieve their internal pain. After a rival gang clash, the supply is cut. Money earned has to be used to post bail for Harry. Now it is back to square one, no money. The pain is more. Harry gets high on intravenous drugs. He even talks his girlfriend to sleep around to finance their addiction.
The story is told as if it corresponds to the seasons. Summer is a time when everything looks chirpy, and nothing can go wrong. The fall happens when we realise the hurdle that had hit us. Times will be bad when winter strikes. Things can only get more difficult. It is up to us whether we survive through spring.
As spring falls in the film, the characters are left in various situations, one in her own world detached from the rest, another is remorseful and hopefully would make amends, the other is still oblivious of her mistake and continues business as usual and yet another longing for yesterday!
At the end of the day, what do we all want? I think that is the problem. We do not know what we want and we try to fill it up with all the things as they come along trying to chase an elusive dream, the merit of which is unknown in the first place. Everybody wants happiness and freedom as their ultimate goal. Happiness that allays them of all the uncertainties of life albeit its short-lasting euphoria but the longer lasting detrimental effects. Freedom for what? They feel free but free from what? Free to do what? This conundrum that has been plaguing Man from antiquity continues do so even as he has explored many frontiers far and near.
A bored elderly widow with a addiction for game show, her son with an illicit drug addiction problem who yearns to prove himself to be a somebody, his best friend also a partner in crime and the son’s girlfriend, a daughter of a wealthy man but with psychological dependence on drugs form the basis of this movie.
Sara, the retired lady, leads an extremely boring routine of watching game show re-runs, sunning herself and chatting with her neighbours. It looks like a routine for her son Harry to monetise things in the flat for his fix. She even has to chain the TV.
One day, Sara gets excited over a spam call placing her as a possible contestant in her favourite game show. She gets all riled up as if she is already chosen. She tells her neighbours, does her hair and dream of fitting into her lovely red dress that her husband used to admire. She is a tad bit overweight, so she seeks the help of a doctor who puts her on a concoction of drugs. The medications do not show the desired effect, so she self-medicates, becomes delusional, hallucinates and is eventually hospitalised for psychosis.
Harry and his band of friends try to hit the jackpot by pushing drugs. The biggest mistake that they do is they indulge in drugs to relieve their internal pain. After a rival gang clash, the supply is cut. Money earned has to be used to post bail for Harry. Now it is back to square one, no money. The pain is more. Harry gets high on intravenous drugs. He even talks his girlfriend to sleep around to finance their addiction.
The story is told as if it corresponds to the seasons. Summer is a time when everything looks chirpy, and nothing can go wrong. The fall happens when we realise the hurdle that had hit us. Times will be bad when winter strikes. Things can only get more difficult. It is up to us whether we survive through spring.
As spring falls in the film, the characters are left in various situations, one in her own world detached from the rest, another is remorseful and hopefully would make amends, the other is still oblivious of her mistake and continues business as usual and yet another longing for yesterday!
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