Donnie Darko (2001)

Director & Screenplay: Richard Kelly; Cinematographer: Steven Poster

Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Patrick Swayze

I consider Donnie Darko to be one of my favorite films. Through it's complicatedness and emotional depth incorporated with an unfitting spiritual enlightenment it has become something mesmerizing to the mind that I have not been able to shake since I saw this the first time. I have seen it couple of times by now and by any meaning I am not able to cope with it but I shall give my best.

Donnie Darko is a young man with emotional troubles though it doesn't seem to stop him in any part of life. If anything he seems completely unfazed of everything around him. He is one of the most rational characters in the movie despite of his problems and the fact that he was in counseling. Jake Gyllenhaal does a wonderful job as Donnie. I had never been a fan of him before I saw Donnie Darko and I still think he could have taken his career to a whole new level had he chosen different projects. I mean this guy has everything from talent to looks to become more than, in my opinion, he is now.

The thing about this is that I can't write anything without giving out spoilers. Everything in this is derivable and conclusions individual. So I wouldn't want to ruin the experience to people for creating their own world around the mystery that Donnie Darko contains. Though I want to say one thing - in the end everyone lives through their mistakes and seek for salvation by understanding what had yet to happen must not happen or stop.

After creating such a one of a kind thing I'd expect the writer/director Richard Kelly to go on to do new mind blowing movies but as a bit of a disappointment Richard Kelly hasn't done anything notable. The last directing job was The Box from 2009 that was a serious flop. He has moved on to producing.

I prefer the director's cut personally since it provides more explanation to the story. I think that there can't be such a thing like too much of explaining on this case. But many do enjoy the mystery of it and watch it again and again until the pieces match. I just like to leave it as it is to savor the emotion...

written by Benni

links: IMDb