7) Requiem For A Dream
Perhaps the most famous film on this list, 2000’s Requiem For A Dream is both celebrated and notorious for leaving you psychologically disturbed and emotionally drained once you’re done watching.
One of the most artful and effective anti-drugs movie ever made, the Darren Aronofsky-directed movie gives a heady and uncomfortably realistic account of the lives of four drug addicts – played by Ellen Burstyn, Jennifer Connelly, Jared Leto and Marlon Wayans, who all give top-notch performances.
To ensure the audience are sucked into the disjointed reality experienced by the characters, Aronofsky employs disconcerting, almost psychedelic cinematography, making use of fast-paced shots and in-face close-ups. And, without going into specifics, the ending will leave you reeling for a long while after the credits have finished rolling.
Unlike most depictions of addiction, Requiem doesn’t shy away from either the delirious highs or the excruciating lows of the characters, and in doing so acts as a warning to the viewer of how thoroughly addiction can ruin your life. The message will hit you so profoundly on the initial viewing that you won’t have to go through the experience of watching it a second time.
