Every Darren Aronofsky Film Ranked Worst To Best

Requiem for a Dream is the magnum opus of this director, and it has had a considerable presence in the industry ever since its release, often rightfully touted as one of the best movies ever made. It is an in-depth character study surrounding four protagonists who are connected in many ways, by relationships, blood and most importantly, addiction.

The leads all possess a drug dependency that drives the majority of their decisions and failures. Everything that happens is rooted in this sense of inescapable desire to consume these substances, and it's told masterfully through visuals as opposed to dialogue.

There is so much storytelling done through the ambiguity and actions of the characters, as you are given a lot of information, but nothing entirely direct. Thus you make conclusions about them yourself and come to understand their problems based more on what you see rather than what you hear.

The biggest highlight is Ellen Burstyn's Sarah Goldfarb, who is essentially tricked into the addiction, which gives both her performance and ending a real sense of tragedy.

It is a difficult film to watch, as the imagery is intense and the music delivers heart-pounding anxiety, but it's an essential film you need to see at least once in your life.