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Friday, 08 July 2005 |
  In 2001, a completely unpromoted, low budget film by a first time director had a brief and limited theatrical release during the Halloween season. It nearly slipped off into oblivion, but soon after its release on DVD in early 2002, it began to garner a cult following. That following rapidly grew until it reached nearly legendary status. Now, three years after its initial release, the furor has calmed down and an extended and less ambiguous Director's Cut has had some limited theatrical play and is slated for release on DVD in the U.S. in early 2005. Viewers in Western Europe have a British DVD already released nearly 5 months before that.
The film, of course, is Donnie Darko. What specifically about it created such furor will vary depending on the viewer. For many, it is the almost indecipherable, pseudo scientific aspect of the story. An aspect which is nearly impossible to understand without the help of additional information available in the special features on the DVD and can require a virtual thesis to explain. Some viewers responded on a more emotional level, and others were simply left a bit baffled. In the end, it may actually be this wide range of reactions and reasons for liking the film which makes it such a clever and rather original work. There are so many ways to interpret what is actually "happening" that it is likely to keep the mental wheels running for quite some time.
It is likely that the greatest enjoyment can be derived from the first viewing of Donnie Darko the same way as I initially saw it. With absolutely no knowledge of the story. So, readers who have not already seen it may wish to simply rent it before reading on. Sometimes there is a genuine benefit to going into a film blind, allowing the sense of wonder and discovery to have full power, and Donnie Darko is a good example. It is also an example of a film which needs complete attention to appreciate. This is not one to watch with the lights on while doing house cleaning. Instead, set aside two hours, dim the lights and give it full attention.
So, onto the film. Anyone interested in seeing Donnie Darko for the first time and who find the opening paragraphs of this review to make it sound intriguing may prefer to rent it before reading on. There will be a couple minor spoilers in the review and the different possible implications of the film which will be discussed may detract from the enjoyment of an initial viewing.
Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a bit of a depressed loner. He is a high school aged student at a private school in his upscale Virginia town who seems unable to get along with his College bound sister Elizabeth (Maggie Gyllenhaal) or either of his parents (Holmes Osborne & Mary McDonnell.) Most of his teachers are completely unable to connect with him, or many of the other students for that matter. So basically, he seems pretty much like the standard teenager except he sleepwalks, finding himself waking up in the oddest places. Adding to Donnie's problems, he starts seeing a human size rabbit like creature named Frank who tells him the world is going to end and exactly when it will end. Frank starts instructing Donnie to carry out various mildly criminal acts, each of which seems to have some beneficial result.
Through the course of the film, Donnie meets Gretchen Ross (Jena Malone) who becomes what is no doubt his first girlfriend, stands up to a school bully, defies the New Age jargon which is sweeping through the school administration and mends the failing relationships with his mother and sister. Along the way he, depending on at least two of the possible "realities" of the film, either manages to save the world or sinks hopelessly into paranoid schizophrenia. In one reality he sacrifices himself in order to save the human race and in another he simply is killed in rather dramatic fashion.
Donnie Darko has spawned legions of rabid fans who spend enormous amounts of time drawing up elaborate explanations of what is the iron clad answer to all the film's questions. While this seems to give them a sense of accomplishment, it is essentially comparable to explaining the meaning of life with a mathematic formula. After many viewings and an open minded attitude toward the many implications of the film, the only reasonable answer seems to be that there is no single or correct answer. The real joy in deciphering Donnie Darko is in finding how many different meanings it may have. There is the most literal meaning with its time traveling, supernatural implications which require the text of The Philosophy of Time Travel book referenced in the film and available in the special features of the DVD to understand, but it has no more real value than scores of others. The other answers can range from the paranoid delusion of a seriously ill young man, to a depressed wish for meaning in life to an instantaneous dream at the moment before death. As with several other films, there are many fans who will insist that the stated intention of the filmmaker is the only valid answer. In reality, the greatest power of art is that it has the ability to have different meanings for different people, with the intention of the creator simply being one of those meanings. What sets Donnie Darko apart from so many other films is the sheer volume of different possible meanings.
Despite the various interpretations of the film, one theme is consistent throughout most of them, which is the ability of the individual to have a positive impact on those around them. Donnie manages to improve and give meaning to what has been a difficult life, or at least dreams of doing so. He sacrifices himself in order to save many others, or dreams of the ability and displays the willingness to do so. He repairs the poor relationships with his mother and sister, or at least dreams of doing so. Compare his last moments with each of them in the original reality with the final reality. Even if it is only in his mind, he demonstrates the desire to change what is clearly wrong. Finally, Donnie himself gains a sense of his own worth through his relationship with Gretchen, even if the "literal" interpretation of the film makes her little more than a pawn used to motivate him to do what is needed.
For me, one of the greatest things a film can do is leave me with a feeling of absolute fascination. Fortunately, there are so many excellent films made these days, it usually happens at least a couple times a year, but this went quite a bit beyond that. I watched Donnie Darko for the first time in the early evening and could only go about 90 minutes before finally breaking down and watching it a second time. The third viewing came the following day. I have never before or since watched any film three times in 24 hours or even had the desire to do so. I am far from alone in the almost obsession this film left me with. On the other hand, many viewers come away wondering what the big deal is. In any case, Donnie Darko is worth a shot for anyone who enjoys a bit of mind expanding storytelling.
Finally, the participation of two particular cast members is especially worth note. First is Mary McDonnell who plays Donnie's mother, Rose. McDonnell doesn't seem to garner much attention in any of her roles, but she is consistently one of the most effective film actors working today, and her performance here is no exception. Her ability to express a broad range of thoughts and emotions with merely a look is quite impressive. Her scenes alone with Donnie later in the film as well as her interaction with the zealot teacher Kitty Farmer (also fabulously played by Beth Grant) are particularly impressive.
Probably the most important participant in the entire film is Drew Barrymore. Though her actual portrayal of teacher Karen Pomeroy seems to baffle many viewers with its stoic movement and line delivery, it is unlikely Donnie Darko would ever have been made without Barrymore who served as Executive Producer and was solely responsible for getting the project off the ground in the first place. It is quite admirable that more and more bigger name celebrities are using their influence to see that many of the recent independent films are made. In addition to Donnie Darko, several of the finest films recently made were possible through the efforts of celebrities such as Tobey Maguire (Spider-Man) who produced Spike Lee's 25th Hour and George Clooney (Ocean's Eleven) who produced (along with director Steven Soderbergh) the Todd Haynes film Far From Heaven. These three films are all among what I consider to be the ten best films made so far this century.
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, Mary McDonnell, Holmes Osborne, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore, Patrick Swayze, Noah Wyle.
Director: Richard Kelly
Studio: Newmarket Films/ Fox
Rated: R
Running Time: 113 minutes theatrical, 133 minutes Director's Cut
Release: 2001
Reviewer: John Rice |
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