Donnie Darko (2001)

Donnie Darko is a Science-Fiction Psychological film released in 2001. Written and directed by Richard Kelly, the film portrays the story of a troubled teenager trying to figure out the meaning of mysterious events that have been happening to him. This film is considered one of the best Psychological films ever released and honestly, I couldn’t agree more.

The film stars Jake Gyllenhall as the titular character Donnie Darko. Donnie is a troubled teenager living in the 80s, forced to see a psychiatrist and take medication. One night, Donnie is visited by a mysterious being that takes the form of a man wearing a frightening Bunny mask. He tells Donnie that the world is going to end in two days and that only he can stop it. With the clock ticking and with nobody to help him, Donnie is taken on a journey that changes the world as he knows it.

One thing that I love about this film are the characters, especially Donnie. He is such a deep and philosophical character with wit, charm and beliefs that instantly grab you and refuse to let go. His family is also very entertaining, showing care and love for Donnie that allows you to emphasise with them as characters. Donnie’s girlfriend Gretchen is also a great character who has a depressing backstory and a great on-screen performance with Donnie. However, the rest of the cast is rather bland and unimportant, but then again, it may be that way because that’s how Donnie sees them.

When it comes to colour, this is where the film begins to falter. A lot of the scenes are either filmed at night or in a dark room. This may have been used to show the bleakness of Donnie’s situation, but it made it hard to see the details of each scene. Even when the camera is in a bright area with sunshine and light, it still seems as if the camera has a hoodie pulled over it lens because everything is still dark. In my opinion, no audience member should have to squint through the darkness to see the screen.

In terms of camera, the film shines once again. Every scene has a unique shot, from the dolly shot at the beginning of the film to the bird’s eye view in the psychiatric room. However, there are moments when jump-cuts will flash from one shot to the next, making it really distracting. Aside from the jump-cuts however, the film has brilliant camera work.

Donnie Darko’s story is truly something to behold. The story is deep, meaningful, sad and beautiful. It has a very gripping narrative overall and is filled to the brim with hidden lore. If I was to tell you about the lore, it would spoil the entire movie. However, because the film is so complex and hard to understand, it can be a little off-putting. But, taking the time to think about the movie and everything it shows you paints an amazing picture.

The setting is similar to that of a David Lynch film or any of Stephen King’s novels; it’s a quiet town in America where nothing has gone wrong until the events of Donnie Darko. From the woods that Donnie bikes through to the field where he and his friends drink and shoot bottles, there isn’t a location that isn’t memorable. Even the high school, a location that is in almost every film ever made, is still memorable in Donnie Darko. This is truly a feat that I was impressed with and for that, I give it credit.

The soundtrack and sound effects are also something to marvel at. The warped and disturbing sounds that play during the hallucinations that Donnie suffers from are perfect for the scenes. The film even includes Mad World, written by Gary Jules. It fits the movie perfectly as all of the lyrics match the feeling of Donnie Darko.

Donnie Darko is my fourth favourite film of all time and for good reason. With a brilliant main character, great camera work, a fascinating story, good setting and beautiful soundtrack, this film is truly one of the greats.