#127: Donnie Darko

Donnie Darko is a cult classic. Rarely can a film be listed as such so soon after its release, although Snakes on a Plane comes to mind, but even rarer is the fact that it finds a comfortable place in the Top 250. The film had a hard time finding a distributor originally, and was actually set to be released on the Starz network before director Richard Kelly found a buyer. Good thing he did too, because we got to be treated to one of the most unique and oddly interesting movies of the 2000s.

When it comes to film, I’m a fan of the oddity. Whether it’s a ‘70s sci-fi flick with a decent storyline no one has heard of, or a mixed genre dramedy ala The Life Aquatic, I enjoy exploring different movies. If this describes you, then a movie like Donnie Darko is probably right up your alley. It’s a blend of mystery, drama, suspense, and sci-fi that will keep your interest till the end.

The story follows a high school boy, Donald Darko, in 1988. Donnie is a troubled boy who doesn’t get along with most people, including his classmates and family. After a time, Donnie is prescribed medication for his issues and frequents a psychiatrist. Odd things begin to happen to Donnie (an effect of the meds, perhaps), including a particularly bizarre case of sleepwalking during which he meets an evil-looking giant rabbit named Frank. Frank tells Donnie that the world will end in 28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes, and 12 seconds. Throughout the next 28 days, Donnie sees Frank increasingly more, becoming more obsessed and responsive to him, and begins to unravel the mystery behind the giant rabbit and the end of the world.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. This sounds like a 2000’s version of Harvey, right? Right, except the giant rabbit that only the protagonist can see is predicting doom and causing chaos, not being chit-chatty with mental patient Jimmy Stewart.

On the surface there is a lot to like with Donnie Darko. The presentation is interesting; having it set in the 1980s allows for some 80s music and the inclusion of the 1988 Presidential election. The film is shot in a very moody and dark fashion. Almost every shot of Darko “under the influence,” if you will, has some sort of shadowy lighting that really brings his strange trances to life. The music is cut from the same cloth; very spooky and interesting throughout.
Jake Gyllenhaal plays a perfect Donnie; looking seriously disturbed, depressed, or happy when he needs to be. I can’t imagine anyone else doing this good of a job in the role (maybe Heath Ledger in Dark Knight). You really begin to care for his character and cheer him on as the film goes along. The side characters all do their part in the story, but their parts are pretty small. Maggie Gyllenhaal, Patrick Swayze, and Beth Grant all play their parts well, but nothing extraordinary.


There are, unfortunately, many problems with this film that kept me from fully enjoying it. If you don’t want to have your viewing experience tainted by my opinion, feel free to skip to the conclusion of my review.

First of all, I realize that a film of this nature requires a certain “suspension of disbelief” for such science fiction issues that are brought up multiple times in the film. However, in Donnie Darko’s case, I feel as if I was being stretched to the limit. For one thing, his parents, no matter how liberal (voting for Kucinich) or free-spirited they are, are not just going to leave their potentially mentally-disturbed son at home unattended. His actions throughout the film (and the beginning of the film suggests prior actions as well) merit some sort of change in behavior from the parental side of things. I simply accepted this early on, but after a few instances (especially after the parents’ trip to his doctor), I couldn’t take it anymore. This would have been an easy fix in the script, so I think it’s just lazy writing on the author’s part.

On the science fiction side of things, the time travel aspect is an interesting subject to bring up in a movie such as this. Quite frankly (no pun intended), I am a little confused about how this system of time travel works, but no matter. The end result is very intriguing to say the least. Donnie has to make a choice whether to save the one he loves, and consequently kill himself and reverse the “good” he had done while under Frank’s influence, or to do nothing… or does he even have a choice? It’s those kinds of questions that the film brings up that makes you think, “Wow! These guys were really thinking when they made this.” The only real question I had when the film was over was about Donnie. If this film really is about time travel and starting a wormhole or whatever, then what is all the sleepwalking and dementia for? Originally, about halfway through the film, I came to the conclusion that the whole thing must be a sort of dream or hallucination that Donnie was having because of his medication or mental issues, now I’m not so certain. But that’s what makes films like this interesting and entertaining; the mystery of it all.

Donnie Darko is not a feel-good movie, but it is a lot of other things. It surprised me how much heart there was at the end of this film, which is hard to gauge in the middle of film, but that’s just because it hadn’t developed yet. It’s a film that has a little bit of everything; love, pain, drama, even time travel and a giant rabbit. And while it didn’t exactly blow me away, there is a lot to like here (actually, I feel the need to watch it again). It’s certainly not for everybody, but give it a try, you just might like it. 7/10