Requiem for a Dream

Aronofsky tells the story of four hopeless dreamers in his second feature-length film, which at the beginning of the millennium not only overtaxes some viewers emotionally, but above all with its over-aestheticised style, which doesn't shy away from any technical gimmicks, and incidentally sets something like standards. The longing for happiness drives them on - and only sets self-destructive downward spirals in motion: while heroin-addicted Harry, his girlfriend Marion and his mate Tyrone fall deeper into ruin with each shot, his mother Sara draws the supposedly big prize of an appearance on a television show. In order to fit back into her old favourite dress, she decides to lose weight with the help of some slimming pills and soon increases the dose - with unexpected consequences ... (Florian Widegger)