The film Requiem for a Dream (directed by Darren Aronofsky, 2000) depicts four individuals and their growing addiction to substances. This psychological drama tells of parallel encounters linked by the relationship between lonely people. Set in Brooklyn, audiences follow the trail of four interconnected characters into a spiraling well of no return. While the film could be perceived as a mere reflection on addiction, Aronofsky's content is based on the obsession with consumption and is not limited to the conventional definition of drugs. Indeed, Requiem for a Dream questions what might be considered a drug, the individual and group delusions of the "American dream", the obsessions from which these errors are formed, and to what heights the characters will rise to satisfy such misconceptions and l the abyss into which they fall when the rose-colored glasses are removed. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The general approach to Requiem for a Dream is to digest it as a film about addiction, but the addiction acts solely as a narrative device to move the plot along. Aronofsky presents an overarching metaphor in each character's first scenes as they introduce themselves on screen. As they introduce themselves to the viewer, it is clear that each character is trapped. For example, the first scene where the mother, Sarah Goldfarb, has locked herself in a closet while her son, Harry, tries to convince her to let him steal her television. The screen is split in two as we witness Sara's refusal and Harry's persuasion. Sara is trapped in this closet as an object tries to take away her comfort. When Sara receives an anonymous phone call about how she was "selected" to go on television, her obsession begins. Sara becomes progressively dependent on the idea of being on TV and anyone with the ability to watch her. Not only is she obsessed with the TV show, but she also begins trying to fit into the red dress she wore to Harry's graduation. How this garment is the culmination of his disappointment reveals that Harry's high school graduation represents his most substantial achievement, and there hasn't been much since. This red dress explains how Sara remains stuck in the past. Sara wants to look like Harry's high school graduation day; she wants her son to succeed and her husband to live. For this reason Sara turns to slimming pills and her obsession with food turns into hallucinations and delusions. With every pill she swallows, the audience knows that she is convincing herself that once she fits into the dress, her life will return to better times. When Harry visits, he points out the grinding of his teeth from the pills, and the audience learns the severity of Sara's addiction. Sara's behavior changes: 'It's a reason to get up in the morning, it's a reason to lose weight, it's a reason to fit into the red dress.' On the surface, this scene may seem like a commentary on drug addiction, but it's actually more about the obsessions of lonely people. Sarah Goldfarb wants to gain a taste of the American dream. He is a victim of television and an intimate cannibalistic capitalist society. Like many Americans, Sara spends her old age in front of the TV without contact with friends and family. He feeds on the show he watches; pushes it to extremes. Just watching commercials can have a profound impact on the brain, and like Sara Goldfarb, it began to seep into her subconscious and what she believed. Harry Goldfarb is a drug addict, but audience-watched footage of his girlfriend, Marian Silver, reveals that he is completely hooked. Throughout the film, the!”
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