Donnie

Rating: 6/10 (2 May 2004)

Fascinating as it opens and develops, "Donnie Darko" works as an effective study of a section of the young's inadequacy in crucial years of self-search, while it entertains us with time travel folklore, Psychology 101 and paranormal occurrences. With all this information added, the film moves to a satisfactory surprise ending, but it leaves situations (the never-fulfilled descent into the cellar) and references without explanation (the allusions to Frank during the party), a few characters go to limbo (like the Chinese-American girl, Cherita Chen) while others are simply wasted (the professors Pomeroy and Monnitoff, played by Drew Barrymore and Noah Wyle, or Grandma Death, a nun turned into a sort of Stephen Hawking.) The DVD release includes scenes that were cut from the final edit, which may explain some of the dark aspects of the story. Still, this is a better film than the average psychological thriller, with very good performances.