Seriously disturbing movie leaves viewers ‘messed up for a week’ despite not being a ‘horror’

People are flooding to social media in fear after watching a movie which isn't 'even a horror' but 'messed' with their 'head good and proper'.

If you haven't already scared yourself silly enough in the run up to Halloween, then fear not, because there's a psychological drama which has crept up on viewers when they least expected it.

I never venture much further than Coraline, but if you're braver than I am, how about you add this one to your list?

Prepare to go fall down a very dark rabbit hole:

The movie in question - Requiem of a Dream - was released in 2000 and is based on the 1978 novel of the same name by Hubert Selby Jr.

Directed by Darren Aronofsky and starring the likes of Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto and Jennifer Connelly, the movie focuses on four characters from Coney Island who are addicted to drugs, following how it alters their minds and bodies.

The official synopsis reads, according to IMDB: "The drug-induced utopias of four Coney Island people are shattered when their addictions run deep."

It's labelled as an American psychological drama, but many viewers are bamboozled why it's not called a horror, having been left petrified after watching it.

Artisan Entertainment/ Summit Entertainment

One X - formerly known as Twitter - user said: "Does Requiem For a Dream count as a horror movie?"

"Didnt except requiem for a dream to be a horror movie but it is," another added.

A third commented: "Requiem for a Dream. Not a horror but that film messed my head up good and proper."

And a fourth wrote: "Not even a horror movie. Requiem for a dream left me messed up for a week. I can’t even hear the score without my chest racing."

One viewer took to the r/horror Reddit thread to question whether or not it could be classified as a horror.

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The user - u/ chimpomatic5000 - posed the question: "Do you consider Requiem for a Dream a horror film? Why or why not?"

One person replied: "I'd say it's a psychological drama. Its horrifying but no horror."

"It's a dark drama it's similar to films like trainspotting and irreversible that have moments and direction that can almost be from a horror film," another user added.

And a third viewer resolved: "It's horrible but it's not horror. It doesn't have that black comedy aspect to it. Really it's a pretty classic tragedy in format.

"Everyone loses those things that they care about, they have a chance to redeem/save themselves and they throw it away flagrantly and then weep about the consequences."

If you want friendly, confidential advice about drugs, you can call American Addiction Centers on (888) 830-7624 24 hours, seven days a week, or contact them through their website.

Topics: Film and TV, Horror, Mental Health, Social Media, Twitter, Drugs, Health

Poppy Bilderbeck

Poppy Bilderbeck is a Senior Journalist at LADbible Group. She graduated from The University of Manchester in 2021 with a First in English Literature and Drama, where alongside her studies she was Editor-in-Chief of The Tab Manchester. Poppy is most comfortable when chatting about all things mental health, is proving a drama degree is far from useless by watching and reviewing as many TV shows and films as possible and is such a crisp fanatic the office has been forced to release them in batches.