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However, history shows that controversy doesn’t always equate with profit. Aronofsky was unwilling to edit his film down to an R-rating and indie distributor Artisan concurred, meaning the film went out unrated. Released October 2, 2000 in only two locations, Requiem slowly expanded for almost three months until reaching a 93 theater high at the ill-advised time, two weekends before Christmas. Lost souls fighting addiction and the holiday times really don’t go together for most. Costing only $4.5 million to make, the total gross ended up with an okay $3.6 million (doing a smidge better overseas). Put in context, this is unofficially (due to being listed theatrically as unrated) the seventh highest-grossing NC-17 rated film ever.

While numbers like that cause most independent films to go away and never be heard from again, Requiem has stuck with us for its brilliant acting performances and always current themes of addiction and drugs.

Jared Leto is brilliant in his portrayal as Henry, who is handicapped by his constant craving for heroin. A teen heartthrob in the early ‘90s, Leto showed great artistic growth at the end of the decade with bit and supporting parts in acclaimed fare like The Thin Red Line, American Psycho, and two of my favorite films: Girl, Interrupted and the always fantastic Fight Club. In real life when one is drinking, the person doesn’t flaunt it around, but tries (usually unsuccessfully) to hide their drunkenness. In movie-land, this is what most actors get wrong in a pet peeve of mine, but not here. Leto conceals his jitters and never hams up his highs of injecting and lows of withdrawal. Although he did not get an Oscar nomination for his role, fortunately he was noticed by most critics and was offered roles in bigger movies like Panic Room and Alexander. With his last commercial film being 2005’s ignored but fantastic Lord of War and no projects lined-up, Leto turned his back on the movie industry in favor to focus his energy on his rock band 30 Seconds to Mars in which he is the front man. Known for throwing all of his energy into a project whether going bald for the drubbed and deservedly so Lonely Hearts or gaining nearly 70 pounds to play Mark David Chapman in the misguided biopic with Lindsay Lohan, Chapter 27, hopefully Jared will sooner than later put his vocals to rest and return to the camera.

Garnering the film’s only Oscar nomination was Ellen Burstyn. Originally turning down her role in disgust, after she saw Aronofsky’s first film, Pi, she changed her mind. Looking unrecognizable (wearing fat suit prosthetics and wigs throughout the film), Burstyn is heartbreaking as a widower who only hopes, albeit unrealistically through enabling, the best for her son. In a tearful monologue towards the end (keep your tissues on hand), Burstyn is enthralling to watch.

Surprisingly Marlon Wayans, finding earlier success on TV, gives a great dramatic performance that you’d never think he had in him. However, his big screen comedy hit released three months earlier, Scary Movie (I’ll go on the record that this movie is absolutely hilarious and you’d be soulless not to chuckle), took him on the path that led to commercially successful yet eye-rolling-ly bad films like White Chicks and Little Man. With the long delayed Richard Pryor biopic still in the cards, Marlon can finally return to dramatic form mixed in with his comedic sensibilities.

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