Darren Aronofsky's bruising second film tracks the plummeting lives of four Coney Island addicts (Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly and Marlon Wayans). It's the last half hour that really scars, but the Pi director confirms himself as an arch-stylist throughout, using subjective camera angles, hip-hop montages and grindingly repetitive close-ups to drive home the mundanity of addiction.
DVD Extras:
Director's commentary, Making Of documentary, deleted scenes with commentary, Tappy Tippon's Life Story feature, Anatomy Of A Scene, interview with Hubert Selby Jr conducted by Ellen Burstyn.The stand-out extra is Aronofsky's anecdote-riddled commentary, but the deleted scenes are also illuminating. If there's a let-down it's the half hour Making Of doc, which is efficient but again narrated by Aronofsky - - it would have been nice to hear what his incredible cast had to say instead.
