My favourite film: Donnie Darko

It seems strange that it has taken me this long to talk about my favourite film. This is a strange one to talk about; I have certainly seen better films than this one. However, there is a special context for this film that has earned its place at the top of the film throne in my heart. This was the movie that got me into cinema I would say. I remember the first time I watched it very clearly, I was so enthralled with what I had just watched that I immediately started searching for any blog, explanation page and video I could find on this movie. This will be a tough post for me because I want to talk about every minor detail about this film; and that is part of the fun of Donnie Darko. But, to not spoil the enjoyment, I’ll keep that to a minimum.

Donnie Darko opened my eyes to what a movie could be. A movie about a teenage boy that does not fit in all sounds very standard for a teen coming of age film. Add in a giant rabbit named Frank that tells Donnie the world is going to end and a story that is constantly building through episodes of manipulation and time travel and you have the perfect mix to blow the mind of any teenager on the planet. And that was me when I fist watched it, I was in complete awe with what I watched. I barely understood it (a common theme with this film) but could not look away and was determined to almost immediately watch it again to try and understand more. This is a film that rewards the viewer each time they view it, unlocking more information, understanding plot points deeper, coming to terms with the overall story and outcome.

It is such an ambitious film. What sucked me in is this unique story. At the heart of things, this is a film about teenage angst and coming of age in the suburbs. This is a stick that I have repeatedly seen be used to beat Donnie Darko with. It is labelled as a melodrama with cringey dialogue that thinks it is smarter than it is. I think this is just surface level criticism from people looking to put this film and people that enjoy it down. This is so much more than the 80s coming of age stories it is so clearly inspired by. This is no Ferris Bueller, no Breakfast Club, this is a film with emotional and intelligent depth. It is about teenage angst, and it is very self-aware. The adult characters are played up in stereotypes of fools, Kitty in particular, and those fear tapes are absolutely hilarious. Donnie’s take down of her is clearly going to spark feelings of wish fulfilment with many teenagers stuck at school, not feeling heard by their elders. The film knows what it is and is very self-aware of the angst. I do not think a film that has a scene discussing the sexual desires of smurfs and the line “sometimes I doubt your dedication to sparkle motion” can be accused of taking itself too seriously. However, there are much deeper goals with this film than ‘kids rule, adults suck’.

These ambitions of grandeur are often used to discredit this film are what makes it so special to me. This is a film aimed at teenagers. However, it deals with some complex themes such as mental illness, innate anger, loneliness, and a lack of acceptance. The scenes with Donnie’s therapist help flesh out this character. The super intelligent, arrogant kid is the façade of a scared little boy who does not know his purpose in the world. The dive into schizophrenia is maybe not the most well handled in a modern context, but adds a dimension to the story, wondering if Frank is real or just a part of Donnie’s illness. These scenes really stand out and build such an empathetic character. It is testament to Jake Gyllenhaal that he produced such a vulnerable performance at such an early stage of his acting career. These scenes and the look at characters such as Donnie’s mum, Gretchen and Jim Cunningham elevate this from typical teenage dross.

The setting of the film contributes to this angst and deep sadness that can be found in Donnie. A soulless, middle-class suburbia with no character and no adversity. It is no wonder that any sort of emotion ins boiled down into fear and love to give this desperate and unhappy community something to feel. Its such a bleak world where any sort of ambition, shown by Drew Barrymore’s English teacher character for example, is ground down and crushed to conform to the norm and what is deemed traditional. It makes you root for Donnie despite his obvious manipulation and descent down a dark path with Frank; it gives you some sort of emotion from this bleak WASP world of perfectly trimmed lawns and despicable adults.

Any scene with Frank is incredibly entertaining and has the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end. I made the mistake of watching this film whilst home alone, researching for this article and forgot about his voice on the dvd menu… I almost jumped out of my skin. I do not think there are many better characters in cinema than Frank the rabbit. He is so mysterious, creepy yet alluring, intriguing yet disturbing. Every scene he appears in helps you learn a bit more about him but leaves you wanting more. The pay off is, at least in my opinion so well done for the overall story. What is more, that character design is so cool it is hard to argue against a 6-foot creepy rabbit telling you the world is going to end in 28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes, and 12 seconds.

It is a credit to this film and my love for it that it has taken 1000 words for me to even brush on the story. All this angst is great and all but set it against an actual impending threat of the word ending but trapping that knowledge in a teenage boy that is still figuring out his place in life and you have gold. It’s a perfect vehicle to display the feeling that no one understands your struggle as a teenager, your issues are the most important thing and no one else understands. Except here, no one really does understand, who would when your issues are given to you by a giant bunny.

The sci- element of time travel is fascinating. The idea of a divine purpose in life, control over your destiny and alternate universes are interesting topics that open up a really interesting view on the philosophical aspect of time travel. This film is not so much about time travel but uses the concept as a vessel to explore divine purpose, happiness and the choices and sacrifices we are faced with. It is fascinating to me and not something really addressed in typical time travel movies. Do yourself a favour, do not watch the directors cut of this film. The less you know and have spoon fed to you, the more enjoyable it is. I will not lie to you, the first watch will no doubt leave you confused. The concept is complex and is addressed with care. So much is brought up and left to interpretation. I have discussed this film with a few friends and everyone I have shown it to has had different views on the meaning of this film’s ending.

This is such a special film to me as it really opened my eye up to films and the impact they can have and how special some are. This has helped shape me and I probably would not have started this blog had I not watched this film 7 years ago. Check it out, see what you take from this film, how you interpret it, I would love to hear some of your thoughts.