Darren Aronofsky’s second film after his breakthrough with Pi (1998) was, much like the novel on which it is based, not to everyone’s taste. It’s a relentless study of four people who suffer from addiction, and their inevitable path to destruction; focus lies on a woman (Ellen Burstyn) who dreams of being on TV and her son (Jared Leto), a heroin dealer. Burstyn is so good in her deeply emotional, intense performance that her story steals our attention from… everything else. Visually arresting, even if you do get the feeling that all the effects are there to hide the predictability. Still, the film hits hard.

2000-U.S. 102 min. Color. Directed by Darren Aronofsky. Screenplay: Hubert Selby, Jr., Darren Aronofsky. Novel: Hubert Selby, Jr. Cinematography: Matthew Libatique. Music: Clint Mansell. Editing: Jay Rabinowitz. Cast: Ellen Burstyn (Sara Goldfarb), Jared Leto (Harry Goldfarb), Jennifer Connelly (Marion Silver), Marlon Wayans (Tyrone C. Love), Christopher McDonald, Mark Margolis… Louise Lasser, Keith David, Dylan Baker. 

Trivia: Faye Dunaway was considered for the part of Sara; Neve Campbell and Dave Chappelle as Marion and Tyrone.