Donnie Darko
Directed by:
Richard KellyScreenplay:
Richard KellyCinematography:
Steven PosterComposer:
Michael AndrewsCast:
Jake Gyllenhaal, Holmes Osborne, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Daveigh Chase, Mary McDonnell, James Duval, Patrick Swayze, David St. James, Seth Rogen, Jena Malone (more)VOD (1)
Plots(1)
During the presidential election of 1988, a teenager named Donnie Darko sleepwalks out of his house one night, and sees a giant, demonic-looking rabbit named Frank, who tells him the world will end in 28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes, and 12 seconds. He returns home the next morning to find that a jet engine has crashed through his bedroom. As he tries to figure out why he survived and tries to deal with people in his town, like the school bully, his conservative health teacher, and a self-help guru, Frank continues to turn up in Donnie's mind, causing him to commit acts of vandalism and worse. (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (14)
Hypnotic, captivating, and unclassifiable in genre. It contains sharp satire, elusive sci-fi, and playful originality, yet I cannot convey Donnie to an unfamiliar viewer. It completely deviates from the norm in scenes with the rabbit, excellently builds up the ending, and above all, shows for the first time that Jake Gyllenhaal truly has talent. An unforgettable, although far from flawless experience.
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Donnie Darko is probably one of those films that one appreciates fully (if at all) only on the second (or third) viewing. But what good does it do me if nothing entices me to watch it again? I can praise the actors, I can praise the direction and the choice of songs used, but the fact is that this "155th best film" with its boring and bloated "I'm something great, marvel at me" script blatantly disappointed me. A strange piece of work I let pass me by for years... And I was right to.
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Very strong 4*. An excellent psychedelic trip that does not lead the viewer by the hand, cleverly inviting many interpretations, but you don’t need to understand it, just to enjoy it sensually; and you’ll watch it in one breath. What a relieving feeling compared to Kelly's follow-up Southland Tales, where in retrospect one realises how he repeats himself in an embarrassingly awkward way, and where the most you can learn from the dialogues is who has beaten who, or would like to beat who, and who has a big cock and who has a small one. Kelly, get your feet back on the ground or you'll go down in film history as someone who never crossed the shadow of its powerful debut.
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Donnie Darko is an exceptionally good film. The story drew me in from the very beginning and it got me thinking about it for a while after it was over. The film has an unsettling atmosphere throughout, with things constantly tangling up and untangling and everything intertwined. The cast gave great performances. I was most surprised by Drew Barrymore – it wasn’t her usual role and I enjoyed how completely natural she was. Although the teacher was just a supporting role, she was quite striking to me. I really enjoyed the film. If I'd rated it less than five stars, I'd have to be ashamed of myself.
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Well, by the ending I was sitting there like something poached. All it takes is one wave and you kind of freeze up – I mean, I did. I had kind of counted on how Donnie turned out, well not exactly, but I knew he would sacrifice something dear to him. Definitely an interesting film worth seeing, and I think, though I haven't seen it unfortunately, the director's cut would have been the better choice. Otherwise, I have nothing else to add. Any more words Donnie Darko has taken from me.
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