Peacock Now Streaming One of the Most Intense Dramas of the 2000s

Back in 2000, Darren Aronofsky directed one of the most intense and shocking dramas in cinema history, and it’s now available to stream for free on Peacock. In the years since his 1998 directorial debut with Pi, Aronofsky has become well-known for producing some of the most surreal, psychological, and disturbing movies in history, including acclaimed hits Black Swan, Mother!, and The Whale. Austin Butler, Matt Smith, and Zoë Kravitz will soon star in Aronofsky’s latest movie, Caught Stealing, but one of his earliest movies paved the way for his more recent projects to take some huge risks.

BE WARNED: This article contains discussion of drug addiction.

Aronofsky’s sophomore movie, Requiem for a Dream, became available to stream on Peacock in May 2025, a quarter of a century after its original release. Requiem for a Dream hit theaters in October 2000 after a successful showcase at Cannes, and despite grossing only $7 million on a $4 million budget, the movie has been lauded as one of Aronofsky’s best and one of the most intense and psychologically-demanding movies in history. Adapted from Hubert Selby Jr.’s 1978 novel, Requiem for a Dream follows four characters affected by drug addiction, and the subsequent alterations of their physical and emotional states.

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Requiem for a Dream follows Sara Goldfarb (Ellen Burstyn), her son Harry Goldfarb (Jared Leto), his girlfriend Marion Silver (Jennifer Connelly), and his best friend Tyrone C. Love (Marlon Wayans). They each watch as their lives spiral out of control as they descend deeper into their drug addictions. Sara becomes addicted to amphetamines to lose weight ahead of an appearance on a TV game show, while Harry, Tyrone, and Marion all deal with the impact of their heroin addiction. Harry and Tyrone end up imprisoned, with the former’s arm being amputated, while Marion falls into a life of prostitution.

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This incredibly dark subject matter gave Aronofsky the perfect opportunity to show off his experimental, surreal, and psychological filmmaking style early in his career. Requiem for a Dream is one of the most visually-striking movies of Aronofsky’s career, with some images hard to watch, but heightened throughout by strong performances from Academy Award-nominee Burstyn, Leto, Connelly, and Wayans. Each of the actors lost weight for their roles, and immersed themselves in the lives and histories of real individuals dealing with the same issues as their characters, which made for remarkable performances.

Requiem for a Dream is not for the faint-hearted, as a challenging exploration of drug addiction and the real people it affects. However, if you’ve got the stomach for it, it’s certainly worth the watch, as it’s celebrated as one of the best examples of Darren Aronofsky’s work, and one of the most thought-provoking and shocking dramas of all time. You can stream Requiem for a Dream on Peacock.

What do you make of Requiem for a Dream? Let us know in the comments!