Requiem for a Dream - Grade: A+ PDF

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A critical analysis for the movie Requiem for a Dream....

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1 Running head: REQUIEM FOR A DREAM

Requiem for a Dream Analysis

2 REQUIEM FOR A DREAM The 2000 film Requiem for a Dream, directed by Darren Aronofsky discusses drug addiction. In this film, addiction is viewed through the lens of four integral characters: Sara Goldfarb, Harry Goldfarb, Marion Silver, and Tyrone Love. The drugs displayed in Requiem for a Dream include: amphetamines, heroin, marijuana, cocaine, and barbiturates. In the film, each character has a dream that they hope to someday fulfill. In an effort to fulfill their dreams, they unwittingly cross all of the paths of insanity. Sara Goldfarb is a lonely older widow, who spends her time watching television infomercials. Sara has a dream of becoming a contestant on television and being able to fit into her favorite red dress. In an attempt to achieve this goal, she sees a doctor who prescribes her amphetamines to lose weight. While on amphetamines, Sara’s mood is elevated with an increase in both energy and speech. Sara becomes dependent on these pills and quickly builds up a tolerance, leading her to take more amphetamines. As she builds her tolerance and increases her drug intake, she enters an amphetamine psychosis. During this, she experiences delusions of believing she is on television, hallucinations of hearing voices, and that her furniture is moving, along with an increase in paranoia. She explains that “everything feels all mixed up”, as she begins to lose touch with reality. Sara becomes a disheveled, walking skeleton that ends up fleeing her apartment in an effort to find out when she will be on television. When she arrives at the studio, she becomes erratic and not lucid, leading her to become institutionalized. During her institutionalization, she receives electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Sara’s son Harry is another central character in this film. Often, Harry pawns his mother’s television in order to fund his drug habits. At times he succumbs to peer pressure when being asked to take drugs. When he eventually runs out of drugs, he suggests that his girlfriend Marion sleeps with her therapist in exchange for money. This single act shows the extreme desperation that Harry must have been experiencing to ask his

3 REQUIEM FOR A DREAM girlfriend to begin prostituting. Harry’s girlfriend Marion Silver, experiences frequent signs of addiction, including waking up in the middle of the night to take drugs. She makes excuses to consume drugs, and becomes aggravated when she runs out. When Marion goes through withdrawal, she experiences an increase in anxiety and a labile affect. The following traits are characteristic for individuals going through this stage. Marion engages in sexual activities with her therapist in order to obtain money for drugs, resulting in a sense of shame. As her usage increases, she begins prostituting. Throughout the film, Marion often appears depressed and withdrawn, which can be seen as a possible attempt to escape from reality. The last character in the film is Tyrone Love, whom is Harry’s friend. Tyrone makes ends meet by selling heroin with Harry. His aspiration for succeeding in life is stolen by his continual drug use. By the end of the film all characters have hit rock bottom. Sara has become institutionalized, Harry has his arm amputated, Marion begins prostituting, and Tyrone is in jail. Requiem for a Dream shows both the sacrifices and expenses that individuals facing addiction often endure. Despite the use of different drugs, all four characters exhibit similarities. All four individuals display excessive desperation in order to sustain their drug usage. As previously stated, Harry asked his girlfriend to begin prostituting in order to fund their drug usage. While Harry is desperate to ask, Marion is desperate to continue her drug binge. Another instance of this is when Harry continues to shoot heroin, despite a pernicious needle infection he has sustained. It is evident that Sara, Harry, Marion, and Tyrone go through extreme lengths to feel a sense of normalcy. By the end of the film, all characters have lost the choice to stop drugging. The family system plays a significant role when examining addiction in Requiem for a Dream. Within the family system, patterns develop and certain family member’s behavior may be influenced by another family member’s behavior. Roles may be determined by relationship

4 REQUIEM FOR A DREAM agreements, often of which are unconscious. In the film, Harry becomes the voice of reason when his mother starts taking amphetamines. This is an unconscious role reversal, as the parent is usually the one to implement logic and reason. The neurotransmitter dopamine is one of the major agents in the development of addiction. When activated in the limbic system, it causes the sense of pleasure or reward. Drugs are increasing the amount of dopamine in the brain. This is why individuals who lack satisfaction and contentment, continue to use drugs due to the “normalcy” they experience. Condemnation of society is evident; as individuals with addiction are alone and without reference to right or wrong. This position is a contributing factor to the regression of addicts in the United States. Stigma of fear and rejection are why many individuals facing addiction do not seek help. They often believe that they will be judged for a brain disease that they cannot control. With better education, we as a society can create a stronger awareness on the perils of drug addiction....