Intriguing--and that's the bottom line

Rating: Null/10 (10 June 2002)

I found this movie really quite good. I wouldn't go so far as to gushingly give it 10 stars, but 8? Or a strong 7? Easily. Unfortunately, Donnie Darko has polarized people into taking a strong position about the film without really giving it a lot of thought. The film's biggest problem is that it doesn't want to pigeonhole itself into any one genre--I've read reviews of Donnie Darko where it is described as science fiction, psychological thriller, coming-of-age story, or all three, rolled into one. While this genre-bending is also one of the film's strengths, it puts off some people who want a clear picture of what they're dealing with. Donnie Darko is a highly detailed work of imagination, which does make the viewer work a little more than the average film.
To be sure, the film's plot could confuse some people. If films like Pulp Fiction, Memento, Mulholland Drive, or Brazil just confuse you, then Donnie Darko may be more work than it's worth. Personally, I admired the circular nature of the plot; it added to the overall tone of the film.
And what a tone it is. 80s icons like Drew Barrymore and Patrick Swayze pierce the surreal moodiness that seems to follow Donnie. Comic performances from Beth Grant and Jake Gyllenhaal (in the title role) keep things very lively. Adding to all of this are the special effects; while they aren't elaborate, they perfectly evoke Donnie's dilemma, and by extension, our own: Is Donnie crazy, or is the world coming to an end?
A little 80s nostalgia (not the over the top sort in The Wedding Singer or That 80s Show), an eerie sense of what's about to happen, and a fantastic performance by Jake Gyllenhaal make this worth a look.