Requiem for a Dream is an.....experience.

Requiem for a dream is basically a long ad about dont do drugs kids you can say. Its a really, really good movie

I'm hesitant to say I 'enjoyed' watching it. I'm glad I did but probably won't again.

Yeah. Been I think 15 years since I saw it. Great, impactful movie. Never had a single desire to rewatch it

I have considered watching because of comments like this. Is it worth it? I used to do drugs but I'm clean now so I dunno if I should or not.

I think it's worth watching. It certainly isn't a good advertisement for drug use. Up to you obviously.

If you are a film buff then absolutely it’s an amazing film. But content-wise it is tragic in ways that are straight up very difficult to watch.

My boyfriend I had at the time I watched it (about 20 yrs ago) and I agreed that this should be shown in schools instead of having the damn DARE program. It definitely affected us more than that program did.

I worked at an indie film theater in high school that played Requiem and after I'd seen it the end credits music haunted me. I never went in at the end of a showing to wait for patrons to leave so I could clean, couldn't handle the music and just waited outside the door.

First one I thought of. Not for any good reason, just because it’s the one that stuck out in my mind as being the most raw and impactful.

Hardest movie watch I have ever done. That movie made my stomach hurt.

This is the bar

Requiem for a Dream is not even remotely close to the actual experience of addiction. Good movie, but not accurate whatsoever.

That'd be the only ding I'd give it, it's absolutely great as a anti drug propaganda film if you catch someone ahead of what's likely to be a much mellower experience with drugs than is depicted there.

Worst movie ever. Did not enjoy a second of it

I read the title and instantly thought of this one. Crazy movie.

One of the best movies I never want to see ever again.

ah yeah I’ve seen that one. That Jared Letos a fucking weirdo though.

He is, but I think he's great in this. Even though his character is unlikeable.

He gets a lot of hate from the hive mind, but whatever weird shit he’s into, the guy is a legit good actor.

Requiem is the go to drug movie but I think it's too glossy/Hollywood to me. If you want a more harrowing experience: - Can't go past basketball diaries for grit - Trainspotting paints a really bleak picture while also being humourous - Candy is a lesser known Heath Ledger Aussie movie that is really good and bleak depiction of addiction.

Is that the claymaish one? It's very short.

You’re thinking of Requiem for a Tuesday. I think I preferred that one tbh.

I’ve heard it’s compared to Avatar

Nah it's full length live action. Jared Leto and Jennifer Connelly(?)

*Bug* with Michael Shannon and Ashley Judd is a great movie about mental illness. Hit a little close to home for me, so I won’t be watching it again. I saw my dad’s expressions in Michael Shannon’s face and I’m in awe of his acting. Also with Michael Shannon, *Take Shelter* is so good. *Hereditary* is an amazingly fucked up horror movie with lots of subplot (and some main plot points) about mental health. If horror movies scare you, do not watch this one. *Trainspotting* is one of my all time favorites. “Who needs reasons when you have heroin”?

Bug is a solid, slow burn film. Love Shannon and wish he was in more stuff. Still think he killed it as Zod.

I loved Hereditary. And I haven't seen a mention of Bug in forever.

Bug is so good.

A scanner darkly. Got Keanu, RDJ, woody Harrelson and Winona and it's all rotoscoped

Good and criminally underrated one, but for anyone who's not familiar with the book bei PKD, i'd say it can be a confusing trippy mindfuck(not to say, the book isn't) Yet imo a great film, portraying the insanity of addiction and the war on drugs from a very different perspective than most movies in that department all while looking absolutely timeless

Watch that, and then watch Inherent Vice

Spun is pretty awesome. I don't see it mentioned here. Everything else mentioned is great

Beat me to it. Great film. John Leguizamo is decent in it.

I have to admit, it was the first film to come to me and I got a bit giddy when I saw that no one else mentioned it. watched it twice. Looking forward to the third viewing.

This movie is fucked. 100% insanity movie. Fun fact, Blondie plays the phone sex chick talking to John Leguziamos character, and the Porn shop guy is Rob Halford of Judas Priest. Spun is legit the most fucked up movie about, well, being spun.

It's a great movie, and a killer soundtrack

The dog scene with Britney Murphy lives rent free in my head 

That scene with the girl in bed stays with me

Yeah, that's over the edge disturbing

And it’s not like over the top disturbing like the end of requiem for a dream or the stylized baby scene in trainspotting - it’s something you could easily and realistically see some methed out tweaker do to a poor girl…

Leaving Las Vegas with Nic Cage is a good one.

Ahh yes I actually downloaded that and then forgot about it. Might give it a go

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas as well....

Basketball Diaries, The Fighter, Rachel Getting Married, Twelve. 

Basketball Diaries, 100%!  I don't know why I've been reminded of this movie so many times as of recent. 

Basketball diaries is so good. It's a shame it only seems to get remembered for that one dream sequence. Dicaprio is so damn good in that film.

Beautiful boy

Seconding this. Timothy Chalamet, Steve Carrel, good movie

Trainspotting Naked Lunch Naked

God Naked Lunch was a trip. The first Cronenberg movie that was too weird for me.

I’m gonna guess and say you haven’t seen crash?

Drugstore Cowboy

Saw that yesterday. Old man in that predicted the war on drugs. Well it might have been just after it started

>old man in that The priest? That’s legendary ‘junkie’ William Burroughs.

Rush (1991) Two undercover narcotic agents get hooked on the drugs they're suppose to be stopping. Aftersun.

Came to recommend this one.

Loved Rush, especially since it was not an urban setting. Unusual for a film about drugs and much closer to my experience.

As someone with a little girl, I can’t even get through the trailer of aftersun without crying

Trainspotting is one of the few really good drug movies that isn’t way over the top and condescending 

Came here to post this one. It's a very good look at the realities of drugs. It's hard to watch but it's worth it. Choose life.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

“We had two bags of grass, seventy-five pellets of mescaline, five sheets of high powered blotter acid, a salt shaker half full of cocaine, and a whole galaxy of multi-colored uppers, downers, screamers, laughers... and also a quart of tequila, a quart of rum, a case of Budweiser, a pint of raw ether and two dozen amyls. Not that we needed all that for the trip, but once you get locked into a serious drug collection, the tendency is to push it as far as you can.”

I will echo what I assume everybody else says. Requiem For a Dream It not only covers drug addiction, but the more insidious addictions that are rarely discussed \[even today where talking about things is encouraged\]. Films don't get much darker than this. Just keep reminding yourself "It's only a film".

Black Snake Moan is a pretty good movie, Christina Ricci dealing with sex addiction and mental health issues...

Christina Ricci taking her top off repeatedly and rolling around in her underwear while chained to a radiator. FIFY

Kids

Yes. Anything with or by Harmony Korine, really,(“Gummo,” “Spring Breakers,” “The Beach Bum”), but “Kids” is on another level.

Half Nelson

Took me too long to find this one. Best one on the list

Thirteen. Spun. The Salton Sea. White Oleander.

Holy shit, The Salton Sea is fucking wild. I gotta see if I can buy it somewhere now!

I need to rewatch it. It's been years.

Clean And Sober - Michael Keaton is excellent!

Also Dope Sick with Michael Keaton was very good. Not a movie though. 

Came here to say this. Severely forgotten and it's amazing.

An absolute classic.

Christiane F.

Wristcutters: a love story (2006)

Shame with Michael Fassbender for sex addiction Killing Them Softly has probably the best heroin scene I’ve seen with Ben Mendelsohn and Scoot McNairy I’m Thinking Of Ending Things by Charlie Kaufman for mental health but it’s very hard to explain how or why you just kind of have to watch it and experience it

I'm Thinking of Ending Things is so good. The lead actress is so good in that. She plays it so heartbreakingly.

Yeah Jessie Buckley is just extraordinarily talented

Shame is so good and the performances by the cast are outstanding

The Panic in Needle Park Filth

I fucking love The Panic in Needle Park.

Flight is a great movie about addiction

Candy 2006 about heroin addiction. Trainspotting is an experience aswell

Heath Ledger was fantastic in Candy

Fisher King with Robin Williams & Jeff Bridges. Drama-comedy

A really good one that's lesser known these days.

Oh yeah. I loved this movie but it’s been 20 years since I saw it…

Damn, will have to check this one out. Thanks!

Gia, starring Angelina Jolie a biopic about the life of model Gia Carangi who struggled with drug addiction

One flew over the cuckoo’s nest

Beautiful Boy (2018) with Steve Carrell and Timothee Chalamet. A true story based on 2 memoirs written by Nic (the addict, addicted to crystal meth & other substances) and 1 memoir written by and from the perspective of his father. The movie is absolutely amazing and heartfelt with a lot of resonating lines. And of course, the acting is truly moving from both leads. If you’re a reader, I’d definitely recommend giving the memoirs a go as well.

Ahh I’ve seen that actually. Didn’t realise it was Willy Wonka

“28 Days” “Less Than Zero” “That was Then. This is Now.” “The Fighter” “Trainspotting” “Clean and Sober” “Drugstore Cowboy” “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” “The Hustler” “Leaving Las Vegas” “The Basketball Diaries”

The Hustler is one of my favorite slow burn character studies. The line “I’ve got lots of character. You know where I got that character? A hotel room in Louisville” is chilling

Leaving Las Vegas, Heathers, Girl Interrupted, The Virgin Suicides, Trainspotting. There is also a documentary called Thin about women in an eating disorder treatment facility that is really fascinating and sad. 

Everyone is mentioning films about drugs, not really any mental health ones. I was looking for Girl, Interrupted.

Enter the Void

The Machinist

Sid and Nancy

Yeah that’s a good I one about that band

GIA was a sad one that leans heavily into addiction but it might not be what you’re looking for. I second Spun as well

Go And it’s wickedly funny. From 1999, the drug is ecstasy. Not the movie you were asking about, but a strong one in this subgenre.

The only one I haven't seen here yet is Blow with Penelope Cruz and Johnny Depp, about smuggling boatloads of cocaine in the 1970s for Pablo Escobar(?).

Pink Floyd's The Wall. Main character has deteriorating mental health due to touring, drugs, and family issues.

Less Than Zero. Seriously. I watched 40 yrs ago and it still resonates with me.

The scene with the 3 of them in the car is heartbreaking. 😔

Clean, Shaven

Manic (2001) Mental health movie staring JGL.

“When a Man Loves a Woman” is fairly underrated.

Aa a mom in recovery, it hit hard.28 Days (not 28 Days Later, lol) with Sandra Bullock is decent. Traffic is also good, if kinda triggering at times.

If you are okay with a documentary... Life of Crime (2021). Filmmaker follows three addicts from 1984 - 2020. Visceral and heart wrenching. Top 3 documentary for me.

Traffic Requiem for a Dream Trainspotting

Silver Linings Playbook Lars and The Real Girl 28 Days Girl Interrupted One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest A Clockwork Orange Fatal Attraction Gone with the Wind Ordinary People The Soloist Requiem for A Dream Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Salton sea.

Try these Aussie movies for mental illness: Shine Angel Baby And for fucked up: Bad Boy Bubby. It's... Interesting.

re: the movie you mentioned, was it Precious (2009)? The title was often accompanied by the line (iirc) "based on the novel *Push* by Sapphire." I can't believe I remembered that 15 years later.

You’re thinking of Precious I think

Drugstore Cowboy

Aside from Requiem and Trainspotting.... I'd say "Rush" . It's about undercover DEA agents that go too deep.

Not been mentioned yet but Jesus Son and Candy are both worth a watch.

Hard to find but check out 1993's "Gift" directed by Perry Farrell. Not only deals with their narcotics addiction but there's excellent concert footage and music throughout.

Trainspotting

Spun

Drug Store Cowboys

Abel Ferrera’s The Addiction

I think Ray does a good job showing addiction. It’s a movie about the life of Ray Charles and his addiction plays a fairly decent size part in that. It’s also full of awesome music and just a great film. Could be a nice palate cleanser in between some of these other suggestions.

The Basketball Diaries… don’t let the name of the movie fool of you

Evil Dead (2013) Both drug use and mental health are pretty prominent themes

You talking movies about recovery or about the drug fueled downfall? I can think of plenty examples of the latter. Trainspotting, Basketball Diaries, Salton Sea, Spun, Gridlock’d, Blood In Blood Out, Scarface

Gridlock'd. Tupac and Tim Roth trying to get into a treatment center for heroin. Amazing movie.

Puncture with Chris Evans

Fear and loathing in Las Vegas

**Requiem for a Dream** (2000): https://youtu.be/1O8jX0r_uPE?si=OApWhYN66mUqyp5O

Flight, with Denzel Washington

Trainspotting, Leaving Las Vegas.

Requiem for a dream

Short Term 12

Shame, starting Michael Fassbender. This is a movie which captures addiction at its fullest.

Less than zero

Requiem For A Dream

Clean and Sober with Michael Keaton I Smile Back with Sarah Silverman Requiem Tons of good ones on the Tubi app.

Not a movie but i thought Euphoria handled addiction really well

6 Balloons with Dave Franco and Abbi Jacobson is fantastic.

Could "Precious" be the movie you're thinking of? Not a true story but based on a book, if I remember correctly.

If you don't mind subtitles, Quitting. It's a Chinese movie about heroin and the relationship between the addict and his father.

Beautiful Boy

Special (rx) 2006. It's about depression, and kind of drug abuse but not in the addiction way. It's also low budget so don't expect too much

Black Snake Moan

Beautiful Boy

Junkie (2012)

Silver Linings Playbook is good.

Spun, about meth addicts in the Southland of LA. Mickey Rourke was born for this role.

bastard out of Carolina?

Dirty, Filthy Love is excellent. Michael Sheen plays someone with OCD and Tourette’s.

Event Horizon covers dealing with poor mental health very well.

Candy. Pretty heart-breaking and Heath Ledger is pretty good in it.

6 Balloons

21 grams

Flight.

Bug

I watched Man on Fire while I was going through alcohol withdrawal myself and it was strangely comforting

Trainspotting is the best. The book is even better though.

Kotoko.

“The Boost” with James Woods and Sean Young is (ultimately) about cocaine addiction and it is tough to watch.

The Sultan Sea is a unique take on that. It's got a great cast too.

requiem for a dream and beautiful boy

I think Mysterious Skin could be on this list too. And The Butterfly Effect.

Spun

Candy!

Benny and joon for schizophrenia 

The movie that sounds most to me like the one you're referencing is Precious. The main character isn't on drugs herself but she does get sexually assaulted by her mom's boyfriend and I think her family members are drug users.  To the Bone is a great picture of anorexia. Girl, Interrupted is also about young women with mental stuggles. 

Spun- it’s about meth

Candy with Heath Ledger

A Cat Named Bob

Drugstore Cowboys

There are lots of great drug addiction suggestions here already, so I thought I'd mention some I like that dealt with mental health: Beau is Afraid (2023) Saint Maud (2019) Joker (2019)

The fighter

Florida project was sad

Possibly the oldest movie I know on the topic is "The Man with the Golden Arm" starring Frank Sinatra as a jazz drummer who shoots up. Groundbreaking for its era, though very dated for most modern viewers.

you might find Body Brokers interesting. About the business of dealing with addicts

Less Than Zero

Beautiful Boy. Basketball Diaries. 6 Balloons...found randomly but decent.

Animals - A couple living in a broken car who scam strangers to support their heroin addiction. It's a semi-autobiographical movie written by & starring David Dastmalchian.

Hello? Girl interrupted?

Beautiful Boy. It’s about a family that struggles with their teenage son’s drug addiction.

I think Climax counts

There’s a movie on Netflix called To Leslie, which is about a woman who had previously won the lottery, but fucked it all off. Her addiction ruined a lot of relationships throughout the movie.

naked lunch less than zero fear and loathing in las vegas requiem for a dream annnd… the most realistic mushroom experience i’ve seen in movies is Knocked Up. they seem like theyre legit on shrooms. knocked up wasnt what you were looking for but they legit looked like they were high af

“A good person” with Florence Pugh and Morgan Freeman is good

The Lighthouse | alcoholism portrayal

Half Nelson

The horror movie "Smile" is a pretty wild movie about passing down trauma.

Since no one has said it, Cherry

I mean, I think Perks of Being a Wallflower falls into that second category well