If you had a second chance to save someone you loved very dearly, knowing that the change you make might mean you never would meet the person the second time around, would you do it? That is the very question that faces the lead character in Donnie Darko.
Donnie Darko is a film that melds so many genres it's hard to describe. In fact so hard without giving away the movie that the marketing folks basically misinformed the public. There's romance, relationships, dysfunctionality, sci-fi, action, fate, horror and psychology all rolled up into one hell of an original film.
Donnie Darko comes from a loving but distant family that is wealthy but unconnected. His parent's solution to parenting involves having Donnie visit a psychologist and taking medication for his "oddness". Donnie's oddity only seems to grow when he finds himself awake on a golf course with his parents friends poking at him. It seems poor Donnie sleepwalked his way there the previous night on the advice of an Evil Bunny named Frank he saw in his dreams. Or was it only his dreams? Or was it the medicine? Either way it seems our lead character returns home to find a piece of an airplane has crashed into his house, leaving noone hurt but his room a mess. The problem is that noone, not even the FAA, knows where it came from. A little foreshadow here indeed.
Suddenly that rascally rabbit returns to tell Donnie that the world will end in 28 days only this time Donnie's not asleep. Thus the plot has been set for the movie with a countdown to the end of the world, a demonic Bunny coming frequently to tell Donnie what to do and his parents becoming ever more worried about Donnie's action.
The rest of the film continues down one of the most original edge of your seat plots witnessed in modern film. Much like movies such as Sixth Sense or the Crying Game, the ending is a wild shocker that nicely ties everything up but could come as a complete surprise to many.
Director Richard Kelly winds down a movie that is confusing and mysterious all the way to a bittersweet ending. Newcomer Jake Gyllenhaal, who can also be seen in New Line's new dvd Highway, plays Donnie wonderfully, as a character who you know is smart and intelligent but is weaving between genius and insanity. The supporting cast is equally engaging, including Drew Barrymore as a cold hearted teacher, ER's Noah Wylie as a science teacher who helps Donnie with the concepts of time and especially Patrick Swayze who provides comic relief as a creepy self help guru. The cast is so well put together that I can't imagine a better job by the CSA.
One of the best parts of reviewing movies for a living is that I get to see flicks I might not otherwise have seen. Donnie Darko is the perfect example of a movie that did not get proper justice at the Theater (though Columbine and 911 probably had something to do with that) but deserved to have a much greater presence. If you are going to ever watch a movie on your PS2, then this is that movie. It's touching story is one I can safely say is worth watching for the ages. It may not seem like it but the message in the end is one of the sweetest possible.
The Disc:
Donnie Darko is presented in a 2.35:1 anamorphic aspect ratio that comes off crisp and clean. Despite the character's last name, nothing here is too dark or smudged. Simply put the screens imagery is clear and crisp.
The audio comes in the form of Dolby Digital 5.1 or 2.0. While DTS yet again evades us, the 5.1 mix is used well during the action sequences. Like many films that have sudden climatic scenes, the thumping boom of the 5.1 mix can be a bit overbearing. For the most part, though, the film sounds good even in its less sophisticated 2.0 mix.
Extras include commentary, which really helps put into perspective how the film came together. There are some deleted scenes, which are explained through the director's pleasant voice. Star Jake Gyllenhaal also chimes in alongside Kelly in the first of two feature length commentaries. The second feature length offers a full cast sort of feel that is more amusing than informational.
Director Kelly also presents a unique hand made book on Time Travel, which comes from the story. It's a but hard to read but a nice addition to tie into the movie. Finally I'd liked to mention Patrick Swayze's infomercials for Cunning Visions. These clips are based on his character in the movie. They are freaking hilarious and poke fun at the world of self help.
bottom line:
Donnie's character says what has become one of my new favorite quotes in the film: "I hope that when the world ends, I can breathe a sigh of relief because there will be so much to look forward to...."
I think this sums up the gist of this warm unique film. I'd like to think that I could be as good a person as Donnie Darko is in the end. But the sacrifice he ultimately gives is one that should make any person feel bittersweet. This is a movie I feel would make the likes of people like Hitchcock and Rod Serling proud and will likely become a cult hit for further generations.
By - Brian "Shroom" Gray
