Hilarious, beautiful, thrilling and down-to-earth

Rating: 9/10 (18 January 2010)

Donnie Darko is by far one of my favourite movies. Even after three viewings, I still can't give myself any credit for understanding it. In fact, I'm am confused by it.
For me, the charm of this movie lies in it's humour, brilliantly brought to life by Gyllenhaals character - Donnie Darko. The humour is often very subtle, and relies heavily on the stereotypes we remember from high school.
But there is a lot more to Donnie Darko than the humour. It is a dark story, set in a sunny suburban environment, occasionally interrupted by disturbing imagery. If I should try to categorize this movie, I'd say it is a dark satire.
This movie is not for everyone - you should have a sense of dark humour to appreciate the jokes. You should also have an open mind, to prevent being put off by the bizarre and pseudo-scientific twist on time travel.
As for the acting and music: Spot on.
Give this flick a chance. It is essentially a satirical drama, set in a brilliantly executed high school setting. Laugh as the world ends in 28 days.