Alternate universes are a concept not often used in film because the concept itself is seen as nothing but a risky addition to a story. Despite this fact, the film Donnie Darko seeks to utilize the concept of alternate universes to tell a heartfelt and genuine story. Donnie Darko is able to successfully make a simple story turn mind boggling without making it devoid of entertainment and substance.
Set in the year 1988, Donnie Darko is a story of a teenage boy named Donnie (Jake Gyllenhaal) who suffers a lot of psychological problems. One night after arguing with his parents, Donnie is lured outside of his house by an "imaginary" humanoid bunny named Frank (James Duval) and is told that the world will end in 28 days. After being lured to a golf course and falling asleep, Donnie awakes the next morning and returns home only to find that a jet engine has fallen onto his house, specifically Donnie's bedroom. Donnie then takes this psychosis-induced threat seriously and spends the next 28 days trying to figure out how to prevent the end of the world.
Written and directed by Richard Kelly, Donnie Darko is a film that showcases immense amounts of character development and unique plot devices. Plot devices as unique as a time traveling demented bunny help make this film most effectively send its message of how one's issues can help break through the conventions of society. Considering Donnie Darko is Richard Kelly's debut film as a director, it is very impressive that he is able to create such a well rounded story with such well written characters. For instance, characters such as Donnie turn from a psychologically challenged troublemaker to a quote unquote "superhero" as referenced in the film. The film itself does a very good job of making Donnie a relatable character. Actor Jake Gyllenhaal has quite an amazing performance as he goes on to make viewers truly believe Donnie's struggles. Being Gyllenhaal's first starring role, Donnie Darko took a risk and rolled dice with its chances of being an enjoyable motion picture. Similar films such as Unbreakable take risks by being a serious story accompanied with a superhero narrative. Although the film proves itself to be successful, there are some characters that could have been better written. For example, characters like Donnie's love interest Gretchen (Jena Malone) don't do a great job connecting with the audience and seem rather dull. Gretchen, like Donnie, is also a troubled teen, but she fails to make her struggles adequately believable to the audience.
Overlooking certain character elements of the film, Donnie Darko proves to satisfy its audience by having very beautiful and strategic cinematography. The film's opening scene showcases Donnie waking up on a dirty mountainside road with an enigmatic swirling storm of clouds and debris on the horizon. Another scene shows the jet engine gracefully yet violently collapsing on Donnie's house. Richard Kelly overall did an amazing job of crafting each and every scene.
Though many may view such a cult classic as "pretentious", Donnie Darko succeeds in strongly sending an underlying message of how nonconformity in a society is not a weird but rather important thing. It tasks viewers to think differently about the so-called "weirdos" in society. Weirdos are special...weirdos have the power to save the world. The film suggests that Donnie lives in a tangent universe, which can be created when the fourth dimension is corrupted. A tangent universe is similar to a primary universe in every way except it is greatly unstable and can collapse in on itself in only a few weeks after being created. The idea of saving the world is brought upon Donnie by his hallucinations: Frank tells Donnie that the world will end and then guides him to help stop it. Donnie soon comes to find that he must stop the tangent universe he is living in from collapsing in on itself and swallowing the primary universe. The story does such an outstanding job of coming full circle and it really makes you sit back and think about the philosophy behind it all.
Is Donnie Darko a film that's too difficult to grasp? I would say that it is not considering all the underlying philosophical jargon that is spread between the lines of the movie. Donnie Darko is a risk taker. It proves that incorporating difficult concepts to make a great story is not impossible. It ultimately sets up its own challenge and successfully tackles these challenges beautifully.
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jtvukovich22 January 2020
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roujin_d17 October 2021From the first scene this movie had me hooked till the end. There wasn't a single dull moment. The characters were interesting, had good acting and sound design.
I'm rating this movie a 7 after my first viewing. The problem I have with it is the fact that I don't understand the story, I blame this on my own limited intellectual capabilities rather than being the fault of the writer/director. Last thing I would want is for movies to dumb themselves down to appeal to a wider audience. So the 7 score might be underrated to the true value of the movie but it helps me to keep track of how my perception changes in case I decide to watch it again in the future. I hope whoever reads this can understand.
All that being said, I would recommend this film to any adult fan of cinema, it's well executed and entertaining. -
planktonrules21 July 2021"Donnie Darko" is a mind-bending film that is VERY hard to rate or even review. It's incredibly strange and watchable...but also confusing and open to MANY interpretations. My advice is just watch it and see what you think.
The weirdness of this film doesn't surprise me that much since it stars Jake Gyllenhaal, an actor who seems to love taking chances with mind-bending and provoking scripts. Think about it...this actor hasn't just made one weird film but many...such as "Source Code", "Nightcrawler", "Brokeback Mountain", "Love and Other Drugs" as well as "Accidental Love"....all VERY unusual and difficult to categorize films. He certainly is a risk-taker....and I really appreciate that and seek out his films because of this.
The story is "Donnie Darko" is hard to describe....but I'll try. Donnie (Gyllehaal) is a disturbed high school student who apparently is in therapy after an incident involving arson. As the movie progresses, several things become obvious: he's brilliant, he can see the hypocrisy and bull around him, he's obsessed with time travel AND he's psychotic and dangerous. And, as the film progresses you see the world as he does...filled with all sorts of apparent delusions, including an imaginary friend dressed as a demonic rabbit, Frank. You KNOW all this will lead to something horrible...but what, you can't predict. What also is odd is that despite being highly disturbed, Donnie is, somehow, on to something...but what?!
The film is a mind-bending experience. I didn't love it, but I really respect it for trying to do something unique. I film you will probably either love or hate...I think it's worth your time. -
elefant_and_tree28 September 2005Donnie Darko. My Theory.
At the beginning of the film, there is a dinner table scene in which Donnie's sister mentions Donnie's medication. This scene lets us know that he is mentally unstable in some way. This is later described as paranoid schizophrenia.
The night the plane crashes into Donnie's house is the 2nd Oct 1988.
That night, Donnie gets out of bed and takes a walk. This is where he meets Frank, the giant bunny rabbit.
This Frank, the one we see in this scene is in fact a ghost of the Frank we later see shot by Donnie. This ghost has come back through time to give Donnie a choice. He shows Donnie the future, right up until the moment he is sitting at the top of the cliff, watching the tornado (or portal).
Everything you see, from the point of Donnie meeting Frank on October 2nd, to the day after halloween (the cliff scene) is in fact a vision that the ghost of Frank is showing him.
At one point in the future (in this vision) Donnie is speaking to his science teacher about 'God's channel' and how you can not change the future events, no matter what you do. Donnie realises on the night of 2nd October, whilst Frank is showing him this vision, that what he is seeing (and what we assumed actually happens during the rest of the movie) is 'God's channel'. The ghost of Frank shows him the plane crashing into his house, which in fact happens roughly 6 hours after Donnie has taken his stroll to meet Frank; Donnie meeting Gretchin, the school flooding, Donnie burning Jim Cunnigham's house down, the halloween party, Gretchin being run over and Donnie killing Frank in revenge. Donnie knows that he has 2 choices. He can go back to bed and prevent all the above from happening (as he knows that there is no way to change what the future holds, as it is a pre-decided event), or he can take the path shown to him by Frank (the ghostly apparition).
Frank is the only character in this film who engages in any type of 'time travel'. What is shown in the movie, from the moment Donnie first meets Frank, to the cliff scene is something that actually happened in reality, however what we are seeing as the viewers is in fact the vision Donnie is seeing that night (2nd October).
Frank has gone back in time to prevent his own death. He knows, that by going back in time (as a ghost) he can let Donnie know what will happen had he gone 'sleep golfing' that night (thus preventing him from being in the house the night of the crash - thus taking the path Frank is showing him).
The scene at the end of the film, where Donnie is lying in bed is a replacement to where he goes 'sleep golfing', like an alternate ending.
The night he dies in the film (at the end), the 2nd October, is in fact the very same night you see him meet Frank(at the beginning) There is no time travel involved to take Donnie back to that night. The film leads us to believe that Donnie in fact followed 'God's channel' and flooded the school, burnt the house down, etc etc.
Let's say that this is what happened before the film we saw started, a kind of prologue.
* Donnie meets Frank (the "person", as the film leads you to believe) *Donnie floods school, burns house down, has a halloween party, Gretchin gets killed and Donnie shoots Frank. *Frank as a ghost goes back in time Lets say that all the above happened in a part of the movie we did not see.(the prologue - not included in the film) This is where we see the film starting: *Frank (the "ghost") lures Donnie to the place they first "meet". He tells Donnie all about the things that have happened(as above). Donnie see's it as the future. These were the scenes we saw as actually happening. Donnie in fact, does not go sleep-golfing that night. He goes back to bed.
The scene we see at the end of the film, with Donnie in bed, laughing and being killed by the plane is in fact, only 6 hours after we first see him meet Frank.
This is what I think actually happened: *Donnie goes sleep walking and meets Frank. Frank shows him the future (the flooding of the school, etc etc) *Donnie prevents this all from happening by going back to bed, thus preventing all the following events.
(The following events being the 'vision that Frank's ghost showed him that night, right up until he's back in bed laughing) The whole movie was set in one day. The dates flashing up on the screen, lead us to believe that the movie was progressing in time.
However, these dates were just a reference point given to Donnie by Frank, on the 2nd October.
If any of this is unclear, please let me know and I will do my best to clarify. Sorry for how long winded this theory is, but it's a pretty hard movie to make sense of.
Discuss. -
I love everything about this film! It's been among my favorites for many years. The theories that could be well in depth for hours, the soundtrack, sweet camera shots, and the brilliant writing! I'm proud of the fact that this is my 300th review on here. I'd say this is my 4th favorite film ever after Fight Club, The Matrix, and True Romance. The floating wormholes is super cool to me and the soundtrack is so damn good!
Thought provoking films are my favorite ever, the fact that you could float on talking about different aspects and possibilities is beyond fascinating to me! It's extremely impressive that Richard Kelly was 26 when he wrote the script and made such a profound experience! -
evilmatt-32 December 2001I think the main theme of this film was summed up somewhere in the middle, where Donnie is speaking to a not-so-helpful self-help guru and says something to the following effect:
"Yes, I am scared and I am confused. But I think you are the f**king antichrist!!!"
In the end, _Donnie Darko_ is a film about people who feel life and all the emotions within it very deeply. Donnie himself is a basically sweet-tempered (often courageous) young man who is pathologically terrified of loneliness and the thought of spiritual isolation. His quest for meaning and self-discovery drives him to the fringes of our reality, which only serves to isolate him more from the world he loves. The few who understand what Donnie is going through go largely unnoticed (such as his girlfriend Gretchen or a tragically overweight yet remarkable sensitive little girl) or unappreciated (such as Karen, the English teacher whose only sin is trying to show her students that there is no such thing as a true end.)
Of course, this movie far from polarizes its characters (indeed, polarization is the last thing this film wants to accomplish) and the majority are just a mishmash of the beautiful and the grotesque: Donnie's parents, who are at the same time loving and perpetually confused; the aforementioned self-helper Jim Cunningham, who is desperate to spread the lie that keeps him sane to everybody else; and Donnie's sister, struggling between her identity as an adult and her identity as a child. And then there's Frank. All I can say here is that nothing can prepare you for or adequately describe Frank.
Probably the best thing about this movie, though, is its incredible emotional range. It manages to inspire hope, love, dread, laughter, and tears at different points throughout the movie without making you feel least bit like there is a contradiction between those states. The scenes with Frank (especially the one that takes place in the therapist's office against the backdrop of a conversation about the end of the world) are quite frankly some of the scariest things I've ever seen in a movie, as they literally made my skin crawl.
Finally, the performances in this film are exquisite. The talent in this film is top notch and even Gyllenhall is just amazing. That said, though, this film has a dismal future. Combine the fact that the large majority of the moviegoing public is just going to find it unbearably weird with the fact that the movie begins with part of an airplane crashing into a building (this has got to be the very definition of bad timing) and it's pretty clear that this film is going to stay underground. However, if you are looking for a beautiful experience with a unique film, _Donnie Darko_ is just about as good as it gets. -
megamatt-8019423 May 2020Donnie Darko is a truly fascinating film experience. It's not a perfect film, but it's an ambitious one, and for the most part, it fulfills its ambition.
I will give no spoilers here, as the experience of watching this film for the first time is something I dare not strip away from any readers. For a small plot summary, Donnie Darko is a teen in high school who sleepwalks, and begins to experience ethereal visions from a ghostly rabbit named Frank, who informs him about a dangerous event, which plagues Donnie's life for a month.
Why is this film great?: Jake Gyllenhaal gives a stellar performance as Donnie Darko. The character goes through so many emotional beats, and Gyllenhaal nails each one. The teen angst is played perfectly, and he's truly someone we can all say we've felt like, or seen at some point. His development is realized expertly by Gyllenhaal, and is truly a character who has made a change by the end of the film. It's not heavy handed though, so you might have to go on a symbolism hunt whilst watching the film. Don't worry though, because it's a fun film to find symbolism in. Remember, in this film, the secrets lie within the subtext.
The script and direction from Richard Kelly are simply incredible for a first film effort. While some of Kelly's characters do have loose ends, and some aren't explained well or given enough screen time, the plot is fully realized, and mesmerizing. The twists in this film are confusing, but so ingenius once you understand the film. Kelly crafts a plot that makes sense in the end, and better yet, is not only constructed well, but has several meanings. The film is interpretable in many ways, and it uses ambiguity in the way ambiguity should be used: Sparsely, but effectively.
If you don't get this film upon first viewing like me, don't assume you didn't like it, and forget about it. Watch a couple of analysis videos, and it will not only make sense, but you might be like me, and feel like a big dummy for not noticing it the first time. That's the fun of watching film though! Learning about new things, and experiencing topics and messages in new visual experimentations and arrangements. Don't feel bad if you don't get it. It's meant to be understood over time. It's just that good of a film. It's the kind of film that lingers with you after the credits roll.
In conclusion, Donnie Darko suffers from some early 2000s corniness and has some faults in characters, but the plot and main character are so incredibly solid that it renders those mistakes seemingly unimportant and unnoticeable. You might not get it, but that's okay. Donnie Darko is a purposefully complicated film, and is also a purely emotional film upon first viewing. All that thinking comes after the credits roll. Not too many films these days make you think and feel directly after one another. Give this film a watch. I don't think you'll regret it if you give it a chance. It's a thought provoking film to view while in this time of quarantine! -
barnabyrudge25 January 2006"Donnie Darko" is the very quintessence of cinema. Enigmatic, absorbing, humorous and thought-provoking - it is a film that throws up endless possibilities and debates, and ingeniously allows a whole range of interpretations that viewers might wish to pursue. There are many viewers who prefer films that provide immediate closure. In the minds of such viewers, films like "Donnie Darko" are unsatisfying or irritating or, worst of all, pointless. Then there are viewers who like to be challenged, perhaps even teased, by films. I would urge everyone - regardless of their usual preference - to give "Donnie Darko" a go. Even those who are usually dead against subjective and open-ended films of this kind will almost certainly find themselves questioning and pondering over what they have experienced. And those who revel in the mysterious, the enigmatic and the downright peculiar will absolutely LOVE this film.
Troubled teenager Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal) awakens on a mountain road on the morning of October 1st 1988, having either cycled there in his sleep (one interpretation), or as the result of being trapped in a month-long time loop that begins in that place and on that date (another interpretation). In the early hours of October 2nd 1988, Donnie is awakened from his sleep by a giant, grotesque bunny rabbit named Frank, who lures him away from his house to a nearby golf course and reveals to him details of the imminent end of the world. While he is out of the house, a plane engine mysteriously falls from the sky and smashes into Donnie's bedroom: bizarrely, there is no indication of where the engine fell from as no plane lost its engine in that area on that night. Having apparently cheated death as a result of his hallucinatory relationship with Frank, Donnie spends the rest of the month experiencing incredible, and often disturbing, events as time ticks inexorably towards Frank's terrifying deadline. Guided by Frank, he carries out irrational actions - such as burning down the residence of behavioural guru Jim Cunningham (Patrick Swayze). Each time, Donnie's actions - however mad or misguided they may seem - lead to worthwhile consequences (e.g Cunningham's house turns out to be the site of a child porn ring, which is uncovered when firefighters arrive to tackle the blaze started by Donnie). It eventually transpires that Donnie is living in a tangent universe which began on the night he evaded death in the plane engine accident., and only Donnie can set straight this potentially catastrophic time corruption.... even though it will mean sacrificing himself in the original October 2nd accident.
"Donnie Darko" is a superb film on so many levels. Richard Kelly directs the film with an incredible eye for striking detail and his script is full of quotable dialogue and inventive, philosophical ideas. The narrative, which seems initially confusing, is proved by repeat viewings of the film to be extremely clever. Even if repeat viewings never fully clear the confusion, the ingenuity of the story comes from the fact that it invites and supports several different readings of what the film is really all about. Nothing is made explicit, everything is left open, and for that reason the film remains a fascinating experience regardless of how often one re-watches it. The music and photography (by Michael Andrews and Steven Poster respectively) are brilliantly atmospheric and add yet more to the film's incredible bag of goodies. "Donnie Darko" is quite literally life-changing - a film like no other, and one of the very best movies of all-time. -
Oliveraandreasson6 February 2020This movie had a really cool feeling to it that I liked a lot, and I completely understand why it's sort of a cult classic. It's very interesting and, in a way, also quite charming.
Having said that, I.. did not enjoy this all that much. It just does too poorly of a job explaining its plot and instead of feeling satisfied, I felt confused and almost irritated to the point of losing almost all interest inte the film. I watched the director's cut that, at a 25 minutes longer run-time, still didn't have enough time to show the piece of exposition needed to understand what the hell was going on.
Unpopular opinion maybe, but apart from some cool bits, "Donnie Darko" seriously let me down. -
I don't know what to type. Honestly. This is just one of those movies you have to see for yourself.
Its also one of those movies that to fully get it, you have to see it more than once. Its a brilliant film, but a bit confusing.
Well, the plot may sound stupid, and if it hadn't been as brilliantly executed, it probably would have been. But its brilliant. I am going to attempt to explain it. Here goes...
A giant rabbit (no kidding) comes to proclaim the end of the world (no kidding) to troubled teenager Donnie Darko. Then, an aeroplane engine crashes into his bedroom while the rabbit is proclaiming the end of the world. (no kidding. Donnie then is able to see peoples 'paths', (represented as a long tube in front of the person, showing where they are going to go next) and is able to deny his own path. Confusing eh? This is a movie I can't explain any more. The rest has to be seen for yourself. Don't go in expecting a fully blown horror movie or any type of film with a straightforward, easy to understand plot. Because this film is really deep. Thought provoking, captivating, mesmerising and moving, this is a work of genius. This isn't the sort of film you can just watch casually though. You have been warned.... -
hall89522 December 2014Putting together a jigsaw puzzle can be fun. And make no mistake, Donnie Darko is a puzzle of a film which asks the viewer to put the pieces together. But in the end there is frustration as you realize you were never going to be able to put it all together. There are pieces missing. So while the film, which is certainly captivating and thought-provoking, is often fascinating it ultimately is setting you up for a bit of disappointment. It's nice to have a film which makes you think, which makes you work to understand it. It's also fine to have a film which is open to interpretation. But if in the end you don't have all the information necessary to make a reasonable interpretation that is a problem. And that is the case here. What just happened here? Hard to say. The untidy ending doesn't completely ruin the film, this is still a film well worth seeing. But there's no denying that the ending is a bit of a letdown.
So who is Donnie Darko? He's a high school kid, a really smart guy. But he's got issues. Paranoid schizophrenia maybe, at least that's what his therapist thinks. He suffers from hallucinations, he sees things. And right now he's seeing a giant bunny rabbit named Frank. One night a jet engine crashes into Donnie's bedroom. But Donnie's not there because Frank has summoned him to a golf course where he tells Donnie that the world is going to end in 28 days. What is Donnie meant to do with this information? Is this schizophrenic teen supposed to somehow save the world? Oh by the way, that jet engine? The one that would have killed Donnie had a giant bunny rabbit not summoned him to a golf course in the middle of the night? Nobody knows where that engine came from. No airplane lost an engine. Well that's weird. Things are only going to get weirder but then again you probably already guessed that since the plot revolves around a giant bunny rabbit.
So the clock ticks down toward the bunny-prophesied doomsday. Among other events Donnie gets himself a girlfriend, rebels against life lessons taught by a ludicrous self-help guru and discusses time travel with one of his teachers. Time travel? Is that what this film is actually about? Who knows. The film never comes close to fully explaining itself. But the film certainly holds your attention. You can't help but be intrigued. You expect that all the weirdness will ultimately pay itself off with some sort of brilliant finish. Sadly that is not the case. The ending, while admittedly powerful, only adds to the confusion. There is a director's cut which makes things a little clearer but in the original version you're left to figure everything out for yourself. And you don't have near enough information to be able to do that. Donnie Darko is a very compelling film. And it is performed wonderfully. Jake Gyllenhaal hits all the right notes in his portrayal of Donnie, a character who is just as confused as we are. And the supporting cast is by and large excellent as well. Whether it be big stars like Drew Barrymore and Patrick Swayze, or lesser-known performers who you've never heard of, everyone fits their role very well, contributing their solid piece to the puzzle. But that puzzle never does fully come together. And that ultimately makes Donnie Darko a somewhat frustrating film. There's so much good stuff here to recommend it. But there's also that little tinge of regret, a wish that perhaps the giant bunny rabbit could have told Donnie, and us, what the heck was going on. -
Leofwine_draca27 June 2016DONNIE DARKO is a film hard to classify. Some might pass it off as a routine teen flick but they'd be mistaken. It has all the trappings of adolescent movies, from soul-searching teenage talk to parent problems and plenty of intrigue and simmering violence at the local high school, but it goes a lot further than that.
The base of the story involves a paradox in time, and it is set in an alternate universe packed with imaginative effects and a really creepy guy in a rabbit costume who goes by the name of Frank. I can't really say any more, except that this is the film that brought THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW star Gyllenhaal to fame, and he is excellent, as is the rest of the cast – including Patrick Swayze in a very surprising change of character.
This is one of those movies with a plot that doesn't make much sense until the end, where a couple of twists or three make what has come previously crystal clear. It's a good trick, and one you won't tire of. Add onto that an '80s setting and plenty of cool Tears for Fears music (which could almost have been written for this movie) and you have an emotional thriller with a heart and a brain. It might leave you scratching your head, but repeat viewings should remedy that. -
"Donnie Darko" is so full of layers and interpretations (and it's so weird too) that I don't know by which end to take it. In fact, i would be a lie to say that I wasn't taken by its cryptic mood and the performance of Jake Gyllenhaal but another to tell you that I'm in a hurry to watch it again.
First, it took me time not to turn my eyes away and accept the nightmare-inducing face of Harvey's ugly cousin Frank (did he have to be some damn creepy though? It was like having a recurrent close-up on "The Shining"'s bear-man).
Also there's something rather disconcerting in that journey within Donnie's psyche, set in 1988 during the lapse of time between thee mysterious falling of a plane engine right in his room and the pre-announced end of the world, what makes the bridge between these two instances is interesting and Gyllenhaal delivers a great performance but a little less would have been a little more and the "blame" goes to young writer/director Richard Kelly.
The irony is that I'm not dismissing the film because I didn't get it, but because I did... or at least I think, but this is not a matter of getting the film than embracing its cryptic mood and creepy Lynchian psychological undertones. Because Kelly's film is a psychological thriller, but it's labeled as science fiction as well and this makes sense since the film uses many time-travel archetypes although the least famous bits, but I wish it could make a choice between Darko's mental illness and his "mission", or at least find the right balance. And this comes from a time-travel buff.
Indeed, 13 years before Nolan's "Interstellar", Kelly explores the possibility of travelling through time by using portals between two tangent universes that don't interact but can let some remains or artefacts appear where (and when) they were not expected. If the right factors are combined, it is theoretically possible to go from a point A in a time t, to a point B in a time t minus something... and affect the time space continuum. Fair enough, so we have the travel, all we've got is to turn it into a mission and this is where Frank intervenes.
The horrific giant bunny convinces Donnie to basically prevent the end of existence. How would Frank be trustworthy? Well, if it wasn't for him awakening Donnie at night when the engine fell in his room, Donnie would be dead. So, Frank isn't your usual imaginary friend, he's a blessing in his life only to reveal that the rest of the world is cursed. But how would Donnie, a high school kid, know what to do to prevent the cataclysm? In fact, the other clues are provided by his entourage, a school teacher played by Drew Barrymore who mention cellar doors, another teacher who gives a book about the "philosophy of time travel", it's like everyone is either luring Frank into his final destination or maybe they're manipulated by the very instance that jeopardized the future of the world. Donnie is still the chosen one.
It's interesting to see Gyllenhaal playing a kid with all the makings of an outcast and yet who's so immersed in his little suburban cocoon that in the span of a month, understands everything. I confess I read a few things that helped me to get the film (including some trivia about black holes) but the last time I saw the film, eleven years ago, I understood the basics and therefore I could really enjoy it the second time for what it was, an interesting, although not flawless movie about upper-middle class life and a kid who's more a malcontent than some begging-for-attention weirdo or like that "American Beauty" voyeur. Gyllenhaal's acting (and Kelly's writing) combines the hidden anger with some subtle touches of sociability so that there's never a moment where Donnie crosses the line.
For instance, je makes valid points in his Smurfette rant and his relationships with his sister (played by sister in life Maggie) is more a display of vitriolic sibling's complicity than any real hostility. Donnie is actually at his most hostile when he tells his sports teacher (Beth Grant) what to do with her theories about fear and love and when he unveils the real face of her love-guru played by the late Patrick Swayze. If not substantial, these subplots show that Donnie is far from the cliché of middle-child syndrome in some dysfunctional family, the mother (Mary McDonnell) is attentive and patient, the father (Holmes Osborn) often cracks up to his son's shenanigans and both parents trust the therapist played by Katharine Ross. Donnie even gets the luxury of a girlfriend (Jena Malone) and their interaction were so sweet and genuine that I wondered what if the film had chosen another path? What if Frank was a hallucination with another purpose? What if the awaited twist was something else?
As soon as the mysterious wormholes appeared, all the true-to-life bits felts like decoys to cheap (though well executed) sensationalism. I feel guilty to criticize the film for the same reasons I enjoyed "Mulholland Dr." but Lynch had a whole different approach, he didn't make his film as accessible a Kelly who sins by showing and telling, and the film had a dreamy approach to its own theme, allowing us to penetrate the depths of their characters more than any needs or motives. Darko is as interesting as Naomi Watts in "Drive" but he's engulfed in a story that turns him into a pawn and a martyr rather than an existential character. Did he really have a choice given that the end of the world means his own?
The film is a celebrated cult-classic thanks to a terrific character and a terrific (terrifying too) story but I felt like both canceled each other, for a twist so ambitious it was underwhelming. -
buiger1 June 2015Well made movie, well directed, well acted, good soundtrack, etc. There is nothing terribly wrong with this film, but I just don't get it. I also 'don't get' why the majority of moviegoers rated this movie so highly...
Maybe I have no 'sensibility' for such matters, or maybe the makers of this movie weren't sure themselves what they wanted to convey. Throughout the movie there are several occurrences which make no sense with the movie itself and confuse the viewer, then there are subplots started but never explained, and the very strange ending only adds to an overall sense of dismay. I just don't get it! -
Jim-5122 March 2004I first saw this on cable tv. Thumbing through the channels I stopped just as Donnie Darko was beginning. I thought the title was weird, and readied my thumb on the remote channel selector...pointed it at the TV...and it stayed there for the rest of the movie! I couldn't stop watching! I've never seen a movie like this. The movie has a beautiful aspect (especially the end). And there are a few chuckles as well. Contrary to the more critical commentary, there is depth and complexity to the story that kind of requires you to see it more than once. I'm no genius, but what I gathered the basis of Donnie Darko to be is about our part in the deliberate DESIGN of our destiny, and I catch more each time I watch it.
Regardless of anything, sincere thought and expression went in to the making of Donnie Darko. Mixed with skill and technical ability = Art.
A WORK OF ART! In the top 100 movies of all time in my opinion. -
gogoschka-116 December 2013Above all, this film has a kind of flow to it like nothing I've ever experienced in any other film before. The magic sets in from the very first moment, when we see Donnie waking up (and the song 'The Demon Moon' starts), and you just go with that flow and let yourself be drawn into that world. The story unfolds like a dream and the ambiguity (at least in the theatrical cut) as well as the fantastic songs help create an absolutely unique and strangely compelling atmosphere.
Fantastic script and fantastic performances: this film has a richness in its characters that amazes me every time I watch it. Forget the director's cut - here for once the theatrical version is the masterpiece. Probably the best social commentary on American society I've ever seen but beautifully woven into an ambiguous, slightly surreal fantasy tale with a haunting soundtrack.
My vote: 10 out of 10
Favorite films: http://www.IMDb.com/list/mkjOKvqlSBs/
Lesser-known Masterpieces: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls070242495/
Favorite Low-Budget and B-Movies: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls054808375/
Favorite TV-Shows reviewed: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls075552387/ -
"Harvey" meets "The Mothman Prophecies," as a troubled teen starts hallucinating a horrific 6-foot-tall bunny rabbit that brings him dark forebodings about death and disaster in the very near future. A streak of "Heathers" is mixed in as well, with trenchant satirical observations of high-school life in the late '80s (story set in Oct. 1988), involving a priggish teacher, a self-help guru (Patrick Swayze!), and a put-upon fat girl at the fringes of the herd. Finally, a whiff of "Back to the Future," in the form of a local eccentric who just may have discovered the secret of time travel, but a secret that has more to do with spirituality than technology.
A lot goes on here. There's a meditation on the possible overlap between madness and the ability to perceive the divine. There's a demonstration of why, in the Bible, angelic messengers (if that's what "Frank" can be taken to be) are often so terrifying that they have to start by saying "Fear not." There's an enlistment of what martial artists refer to as the "ki" (or personal energy, emanating from a person's midsection) in the type of time travel depicted here (the term "ki" is never used in the flick, but the term "path," another word for Tao or "Way," is). Quantum physics theory about wormholes is tied to the Fortean phenomenon of things falling unexplained from the sky, in a way that's more pivotal, and therefore more interesting, than the gratuitous rain of frogs in "Magnolia."
Time travel paradoxes and ironies enter the picture as well. One character (no spoiler!), whose life is saved by Donnie's ultimate trip back in time, wouldn't have died in the first place if he hadn't dragged her along to the opening of the wormhole. Another character (again, no spoiler!), whose truly terrible secret comes to light in the wake of an arson investigation, must go unexposed as a result of that same time reversal, since the arson now won't happen. Surely that's no oversight on the part of the screenwriter; it must be an acknowledgment of the choices and trade-offs in life, as well as of a confidence that no such terrible secret can remain hidden forever.
Somehow this pastiche works, largely on the strength of good performances. Jake Gyllenhaal is appropriately moody and, also appropriately, not always likeable in the title role. Drew Barrymore, who executive produced, appears as a frustrated first-year teacher. The movie's often dreamlike atmosphere is enhanced by the cinematography, the subdued but effective special effects, and the choice of the music on the soundtrack, which includes '80's pop tunes, of course, and a haunting original song (over the end credits) titled "Mad World."
Not for all tastes, but better, stranger, and more complex than I expected. -
Being an angst-ridden teenager has never been easy, especially when you can see what's down the road, and it looks a lot like the end of your world.
Writer and Director Richard Kelly is an artist whose films I will anticipate and Jake Gyllenhaal is truly remarkable among a very rich cast. He plays a troubled young man with a brilliant intellect and a vast imagination, struggling with the boredom of standard education, and a society afraid of its own shadow (e.g. Contemporary America). An imaginary friend, Frank - a seven foot tall metal-headed skull-faced demon-rabbit saves his life by removing him from the the scene of a catastrophe just before it occurs, only to lead him down an alternative path to an even more terrible oblivion complete with forecasts of doom, psychiatrists, and self-help charlatans.
This film feels as creepy as any well-made ghost story I have ever seen, yet redefines the genre of supernatural storytelling in a very unique and original way.
Donnie Darko is a film about heroism and sacrifice, decorated with disturbing imagery, the horror of everyday life, and a soundtrack reminiscent of Lynch's best. It is also a film worthy of several viewings and at least as many varied interpretations.
I can not honestly recommend this to anybody who attends films for the pure sake of entertainment. Nor can I recommend it to people who need straight answers or have limited attention spans. It's art, and does not need to provide pat explanations for itself. As entertaining as this film may be, it has an unrelenting and merciless dark side, and might disturb even the most veteran indy film carmudgeon.
This is a great film. See it. -
yellowrobe27 October 2001The fact that this is the Directors first film is amazing to me. The scenes dripped with style, yet that style never seemed distracting. None of it was self congratulatory or gluttonous. The visuals were supported by a truly emotional score and its hard to find fault in the 80's pop tunes that found their way into some of the more impressive scenes.
The story is very much thought provoking. Its the type that leaves you pondering the possibilities voiced by the characters. There is nothing condescending about this film. Answers arent simply handed out, rather the viewer is left to draw many conclusions instead. The acting is also top notch. If i hadnt known beforehand that Patrick Swayze was in this film I would have been shocked. His character is amusing and interesting all at the same time. A great cameo for him. Drew Barrymore is forgetable, though that in no way detracts from the film. Of course the star is Jake Gyllenhaal. There is nothing that can be said to properly praise his performance. The rest of the cast chosen fit their roles perfectly. All of these things combine to create a stunning film. One can only hope that filmgoers will give this little gem a shot and support a true wonder. This is the only film I have awarded a 10/10 on the IMDB. -
I've heard so much about this " Wonderful , mind blowing masterpiece " . Interestingly enough most of the rave reviews of DONNIE DARKO came via this very website which goes against the grain of other reviewers . Roger Ebert only gave the movie two and a half stars while many other websites dedicated to film reviews claim this movie is confused and overrated . It should also be mentioned that if it's such a great , thought provoking piece of cinema then why did it miss out on so many nominations at the more prestigious film award ceremonies ? And don't say politics , an independent feature like IN THE BEDROOM didn't pick up any Oscars but that didn't stop it being nominated for several
DONNIE DARKO is by no means terrible but it is overrated . Dare I say it's a case of the emperors new clothes ? That is people are somewhat embarrassed upon seeing this film and not understanding it that they feel they must praise it in order to spare their supposed ignorance . Let me ask you this - What genre of film is this ? Everyone will give a slightly different answer I'm sure and if an audience is undecided about the genre then how can they decide what the ending is about ?
And there is a quite serious plot hole involved in the story . Donnie sees a demonic rabbit called Frank throughout the movie who tells him at exactly what moment the world will end . Wormholes , time warps etc may actually exist in scientific reality as may the ending but the central plot does not since the whole movie rests on Frank or Donnie being able to see into the future and no scientist will claim there's any scientific basis for fortune telling . So you see it's not really about time travel , it's about mysticism , predestination and other superstitious mumbo jumbo which Richard Kelly is using to fool the audience . In effect this movie is one big cheat and most people have failed to notice this
Having said that Richard Kelly does deserve some credit for making a movie that's not about car chases and explosions , this is a movie dealing with teen angst and the dark side of middle American small town values but Kelly has missed an opportunity to make the most of the potential . I know the film was released before the war on terror so there'd be little need to see news broadcasts on the fall out of the original Gulf war but from a pop culture point of view wouldn't this have been better set in the early 1990s when grunge culture was the rage instead of 1988 ? I mean what music best suits this movie's atmosphere ? Echo And The Bunnymen or Nirvana ? In fact if it had have set in the presidential elections of early 1990s this would have coincidentally tied in with what's going on in the world today with Saddam and Iraq getting a mention ! And wouldn't this movie be held up in superstitious awe now ?
As it stands it's nowhere as clever as it thinks it is for the reasons outlined . Perhaps Mr Kelly started out on with two movies , one a high concept science fiction thriller and the other a low concept drama about a mentally ill teenager and decided to merge the two with not too successful results . Watching DOnnie Darko this was the gut feeling I got -
Hitchcoc22 February 2011This is a film that crept up on me. It takes one time to sense the rhythms of this film and to accept the strange apparitions that dominate it. As the closing song, "Mad World," typifies, the central character can only accept his demons and, in doing so, have a scintilla of joy. This is about a different kind of altruism, unstuck in time, that some of us wish we could have. Donnie is a popular guy with all kinds of possibilities. He is loving, smart, and eccentric. His family has him seeing a psychiatrist because his actions due to misunderstood visions have caused him to act violently at times. They love him and want him so badly to sort things out. He finds a soul mate, but she has her own demons and never fully understands what is going on. I can't say much because a first time viewer needs to be kept completely in the dark. I would like to watch this again to see things unfold with foreknowledge. It's one of the most intriguing movies I've ever seen.
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BrandtSponseller20 February 2005Upon awakening, Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal) finds that he's been asleep in the middle of a secluded mountain road. It seems that Donnie regularly wanders out at night and sleeps in strange places. The night that he ends up on the neighborhood golf course, a stray jet engine crashes through Donnie's bedroom. He's saved by his odd behavior. Shortly after, we witness him hearing voices and having visions of an odd, evil-looking, bipedal, man-sized bunny. The voice begins giving him unusual suggestions, and Donnie slowly finds himself as the key player in a grand scheme.
Donnie Darko is an unusual film. It spans a number of genres and leaves itself wide open to interpretation. Quite a cult of hardcore fans has developed around it, and for those folks, the film is essentially immune to criticism and reinterpretation.
The biggest surprise to me was that the bulk of Donnie Darko is a realist drama. I had long heard about how strange the film was, and heard it described as being partially sci-fi (which it is) and horror (which it isn't if you ask me). It was supposedly a "reality-bender". I'm much more of a "genre" fan, and I much prefer fantasy, surrealism and absurdism to realism. My preconceptions were throwing me off of the film initially. The realist drama stuff seemed to drag on, and it made much of the film a hard sell. I loved the touches of weirdness, but they were too little, too far between--at least until I reached my personal interpretation of the film around the halfway mark.
The film is also odd in that it's so retro. At one point I double-checked the DVD box, thinking that Donnie Darko had to be a late 1980s film. Nope, 2001. Then I started thinking that writer/director Richard Kelly must have had the script in storage for 15 years. But that can't be the case, either, as his bio says he was born in 1975, and it's unlikely that he would have written Donnie Darko when he was 10 or 11. The film is mired in late 1980s pop-culture references, style and music. Realizing that Kelly was born in 1975 still makes this weird. He says on the new DVD commentary that he was following the clichéd advice to write what you know, and he knew school in the late 1980s. He wouldn't have even entered high school until 1989, so it seems odd that he would only know school in the late 1980s. The retro feel of the film was a bit artificial to me, although I enjoyed the way the pop music was integrated.
There were also some questionable performances for my tastes, including Drew Barrymore's, and some bizarre (but not bizarre enough) scenarios that I never quite figured out, such as why a gym teacher was showing motivational videos to a class sitting in desks.
But most fans of Donnie Darko tend to overlook the minutiae, even though it takes up most of the screen time. The hinge tends to be on the overall arc and the meaning of the film. If minutiae are dwelt on, it's usually concerning the "Philosophy of Time Travel" book, or some bit of dialogue that is thought to be clever, such as the Smurf discussion. The theme of the film is often said to be something like "possibilities", and the film is routinely interpreted as having a messianic subtext, as well as often being interpreted more literally, as a kind of sci-fi story. After I watched the film and it didn't quite pay off as I had been hoping, I was anxious to listen to the commentary and watch the documentaries. Kelly seemed to intend more of the literal, sci-fi interpretation of the film. That was disappointing, because interpreted that way, the most fascinating thing to me is that Kelly believes it even approaches coherency. The Philosophy of Time Travel material, which is a core of this interpretation, is arbitrary sounding gobbledy gook. It has nothing to do with time travel, and even less to do with philosophy. It's more a naïve attempt at something like a parallel universe, ala the multiverse interpretation of quantum mechanics (which tends to be nonsensical anyway).
To make matters worse, there is little attempt to integrate most of this material into the actual meat of the film--the sci-fi interpretation seems very "grafted on". Many of the actual scenes we witness aren't there to service the eventual interpretation of the film as a sci-fi story, but are there because it's some snippet of actual life that Kelly remembers or has thought about or had conversations similar to in the past, and he thinks it's clever or character developing. For me, this material was neither.
But my personal interpretation of the film made much more sense to me, and under it, I enjoyed it more. To me, Donnie Darko is just a depiction of a kid with schizophrenia (and this is even explicitly suggested, although Kelly seems to be overlooking or not mentioning the interpretation). Even the smallest details of the film make sense in this context. Schizophrenics hear voices. They can have visual, tactile and other sensory hallucinations. Some have delusions of grandeur, such as messiah/superhero complexes. They often feel alienated. Donnie mopes around, mumbling, fairly expressionless much of the time and has periodic emotional outbursts. He acts out in anti-social ways. He goes into semi-catatonic states. Even the end of the film makes more sense under this interpretation, as it can be seen as an intentional delusion that Donnie has created due to the relationship-oriented tragedy. He's fantasizing about things being different than they turned out. To me, the film has much more depth under this interpretation.
If you haven't seen Donnie Darko yet, you owe it to yourself to check it out. No matter your final verdict, it's an interesting, quirky film, and one that's sure to be talked about for a long time. -
Elvis-Del-Valle9 November 2023At first, Donnie Darko is a difficult film to understand and can seem absurd. What helps a lot to understand it and has made it a very beloved film is taking into account the concepts of parallel realities. It mentions time travel and although that is not exactly witnessed, the complexity of the film is based more on the fourth dimension. Donnie is the protagonist of a science fiction story in a parallel world, which is forced to play a role to prevent the destruction of existence itself. The mysterious Frank and many around Donnie become pawns for him to achieve his goal. The film mixes a whole series of elements, allegories, metaphors and messages that make it a quite enigmatic film. Using a book given to Donnie, he gives clues that the world Donnie stars in is not what the viewer initially thinks. The film uses Donnie and the events of the story quite a bit to raise the point that everything that happens in the world is connected and therefore the events of the world are part of a grand scheme. That would imply that all the actions and decisions that human beings take are already planned and that destiny is what really controls our lives. What would be raised would be something compared to the Loki series that raises the idea that there is no free will and that we must all fulfill a destiny that has been implanted in us to maintain a universal order. Even according to the philosophy of The Matrix, the decision is an illusion and the paradox arises as to whether we can really control our destiny or are we only tools of a great scheme forged by destiny. Donnie questions what he has to do a lot and that makes you think about what consequences there could be in the universe if someone goes off their path, breaking the scheme that maintains universal order. The Butterfly Effect theory and even other time travel films raise the question of what things would be like if such important events had not occurred. The film also gives Donnie a savior role, turning him into an allegory for Jesus Christ and other martyrs whose sacrifices were essential to a cause. The mention of the movie "The Last Temptation of Christ" is also a key because of the plot it had. Like that film, Donnie Darko is a story about sacrifice and death as a necessary destiny for future events and for the universal scheme. In that aspect, the film has a biblical metaphor behind it. Another element that makes up this film is its allegory about adolescence and it is something that is reflected in Donnie when upon entering that stage, he asks himself many questions, reflects a lot, knows love and suffers this internal struggle about whether to fulfill his destination. Frank even becomes his guide of sorts and symbolizes the aggressive rebellion that many young people go through. It can be said that the film knows how to use Donnie to represent the psychology of young people and think about the kind of role that destiny has in store for them. It is not strange that it has some moments of cringe humor that are characteristic of teenagers. It can be concluded that Donnie Dark is another independent film with an unconventional plot that gives it a lot of resistance, although it leaves a couple of doubts to decipher. It is not a film that can be understood by those who do not take into account the aforementioned elements, but all the elements that characterize it are what make it an authentic cult film. It is not a film recommended for everyone, only for educated people and movie buffs. My final rating for this movie is an 8/10.
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Boba_Fett113814 October 2005"Donnie Darko" is a movie that remains difficult to understand. Everybody has his own interpretation of the ending and the story in general. That is a good thing. Everyone looks at this movie differently in his own way, which makes "Donnie Darko" an unique movie.
It's a good first long featured movie for director Richard Kelly. Still I didn't liked it as much as everyone else seems to do. The movie has some odd moments and almost nothing is explained. Everything is left to the viewer his own interpretation and imagination, which seems like a lazy but of course also original way of movie making. The story is good but there are several missed opportunities, such as the whole time traveling element of the movie that is hardly used at all.
There are some good actors in the movie. Jake Gyllenhaal is a good leading man but even better are the supporting actors played by well known actors Patrick Swayze, Drew Barrymore and Noah Wyle.
In my opinion the movie is still overrated. Just because it's original and 'odd', doesn't make a movie brilliant. It's professionally made all and well written but not everything is making sense and the movie makes little effort in making the movie its story understandable.
I can give my own interpretation of the movie and its story and try to explain everything about that but in my opinion that would be useless. Just watch this movie and form your own ideas and interpretation of the movie, since everyone will have a different opinion and interpretation of it. It certainly is a thought provoking movie that is worth watching.
7/10
http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/ -
view_and_review6 February 2016I know I'm in the minority here. I know that this movie is a cult classic and has gotten rave reviews; that's the reason I watched to begin with--well that and the fact I thought it was a time travel movie.
"Donnie Darko" was not my cup of tea. This is where I'm told I don't get it, it's too deep for me and then I'm called all kinds of pejoratives. This isn't the first movie that I opposed the majority on and it won't be the last.
I saw a dramatic unfolding of the life of a mentally disturbed teenager. And it seemed that every character was formed through the lenses of said character. Everyone was odd. Comically odd. From Donnie Darko down to Cherita Chen. And characters like Cherita Chen seemed purposeless. If that's appealing then color me unimpressed.
I know, this was a movie I didn't get and I'm fine with that. It was dark, the humor was strange, and in my opinion it lacked a true message.