Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Remarkably original
Any form of media that makes you think has succeeded in what it set out to do.Donnie Darko is a film that succeeds on every conceivable level. The script is original and entirely unpredictable. There isn't a single bit of action or dialogue, not one frame that can be anticipated. The characters, too, are refreshingly well-conceived and highly unique. And it's a treat to see actors we know well (Drew Barrymore, who also produced, and Noah Wyle) stretch well beyond our usual expectations. There is great humor in this film as well as great sorrow. And, ultimately, it's impossible to say if the entire scenario takes place within the dreams of a brilliant but possibly schizophrenic young man or if, as he so desperately wishes, he has, through physics, managed to reverse time.Jake Gyllenhaal gives a stunning performance as Donnie. Even his body language--incurving shoulders, questioning eyes, uncertain smiles--reveal a vast, searching intelligence. Mary McDonnell gives yet another in a roster of thoughtful portrayals--this time as the despairing mother of brilliant and troubled Donnie, simultaneously loving and hating him for being emotionally beyond her reach. And Jena Mallone is just wonderful, one of the truest, most authentic young actors around today. This is filmmaking at its best--an adventure for the mind--not to be missed.
Most highly recommended.
Rating: - Definitely a worthwhile experience
Between the thousands of High-School comedy flicks and Teen slasher films lies a very rare, untapped viewing genre which few moviegoers even consider, let alone bother watching. While the previously mentioned genres deal with basic teen preoccupations such as losing virginity, asserting popularity and curiosity (the perils of opening the cellar door (sic) to find out what that strange noise is), these films have little more to say than 'Hey, we're kids, and we're having a blast'. There is a sense of 'normality' and 'healthiness' that these films choose to base themselves on, usually allowing the odd 'fat kid' or 'freak' a look in for added laughs or to help drive the plot. Donnie Darko is definitely not one of these filmsDonnie Darko is one of those rare gems that combine a subtle Lynch-esque dark humour with a nihilistic view of the trivialities of society, and what is considered 'normal' behaviour. Unlike the 'American Pie/Scream' banalities, we see
the central character relinquish grip on the world around him, but in his own mind, establishing his own beliefs and opinions, with the assistance of Frank, a very unusual and sinister sidekick. The components that introduce us to the world of Donnie Darko - a misplaced Jet engine, an apocalyptic prophecy made by a man in a macabre bunny suit, and the complexities of Time travel are as strange as the overall atmosphere that pervades this film. The viewer cannot help feeling that as the central character's sanity unhinges, that it is in fact the rest of the world that is going crazy. The acting is amazing, and the plot is superbly driven. The movie succeeds in walking a fine line between many genres, without ever being dominated by one - the film could have turned into comic farce, horror, sci-fi or love story, but chooses to remain uncategorized. The dialogue is blatantly written to make you acknowledge philosophical questions from the Zen-like to the ridiculous. It is a very accessable film, despite all the bizzarre inclusions and enigmatic prose. Similarly, while there is a heavy element of despair and worthlessness, it is not a film that will make you suicidal. However, it is certainly not a film to watch if all you want is a brainless teenage romp. If you want that, go hire out something by National Lampoon. Despite criticisms that the end was a let-down, I honestly thought that it was a good strong ending that answered many of the film's plot points, but left the more important loose ends free for the viewer to interpret, and in keeping with the rest of the movie, was bitter-sweet and thought-provoking. Particular highlights are the first time Donnie sees evidence of time travel, the conversation that he has with Frank in the cinema, the disturbingly realistic twist of the Jim Cunningham character, and the voyeuristic peek into many of the characters alone while a melancholy cover of 'Mad World' is played. Donnie Darko is up there with films like 'Heathers', 'Virgin Suicides', 'Memento', 'Cruel Intentions' and any other film that actually dares to challenge the viewer to look beneath the surface.
Rating: - First of all...
I'm not Mary Jane Bucy...this is my mom's account..I'm awake at 2 a.m. because I just watched Donnie Darko and it scared the living hell out of me.
That's not necessarily a bad thing.
And I just want to say that...I get this sick feeling in my stomach when I've been really disturbed by a movie...and the only other movie that's induced this nausea was Planet of the Apes (the old or new version). I actually threw up on the way home from the theatre over that one. But this movie...I don't know...I think I actually sat through most of the credits with my mouth hanging open. It's stunning. I love it. I can't believe I've never seen it before. I don't even know what to say...it was scary, and beautiful, and somehow hopeless and hopeful at the same time, and the best part of the whole movie is at the end, when the little boy asks Gretchen if she knew Donnie, and she just sits there and finally, like she had to think about it, she says no. It actually made me cry. I think the whole movie was leading up to that moment. I could be wrong, but I don't think so.
|
