I'm so glad I finally got to see Donnie Darko at the New Beverly Cinema this evening. I've been wanting to see this one for a while and it was worth the wait. What an unusual film!
I won't reveal many details of the plot because I had no idea what the film was about before seeing it and it was a wonderful mystery to see the story unfold. In a nutshell, the title character Donnie Darko, played by the talented Jake Gyllenhaal, narrowly escapes death in a freak accident. He also suffers from psychological instability and often sees dark, hallucinatory visions. Besides his therapist, Donnie communicates with an imaginary character named Frank, who always wears a scary bunny costume.
This odd, suspenseful, and often funny film follows Donnie's perilous journey through high school and his struggles to understand his supernatural view of the world, leading to a shocking climax. The supporting cast includes Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jenna Malone, Patrick Swayze, Noah Wyle, and Drew Barrymore, who also executive produced the film.
The story is set in October 1988 during the Bush-Dukakis presidential election, so there are many humorous references to the Eighties and the soundtrack features some great songs by '80s bands such as INXS, Tears For Fears, Duran Duran, Joy Division, Echo & the Bunnymen, and Oingo Boingo.
The version I saw was writer/director Richard Kelly's 2004 Director's Cut, which is a full 20 minutes longer than the original 2001 theatrical release. From reading about the film on IMDB, the new version includes a lot of visual effects not included in the original, plus some added character development scenes and changes to the soundtrack. I recommend this one if you enjoy off-beat, quirky films in the vein of David Lynch's Blue Velvet and Mullholland Drive.
PS: My favorite scene is where Donnie takes his girlfriend to the movies...at the Aero Theater in Santa Monica where I often see films with my friend Heidi!!
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