An easily disliked film

Rating: Null/10 (22 November 2004)

Extra material on DVD I rented included a number of scenes that were cut from the final release. I think a lot more could have been cut. Drew Barrymore does not add luster to the name of a distinguished American theatrical family by her association with this movie. Jake Gylenhaal performs very well, but he may have been distressed with the finished product. His film parents are overgrown juveniles, particularly his father who is first seen playfully threatening his wife with some sort of electric pruning instrument. This is the father of teenagers! Later on he is seen as unable to remember the name of the psychiatrist treating his son for rather severe mental health problems. A detached parent. And mother seems to be rather vaguely distracted as she wanders about with a half smile on her face and a drink in her hand. And then there are the people at Donnie's school, including an inept principal and an incredibly stupid teacher. No wonder Donnie takes refuge in his dark visions. The problems of a young man trying to cope with his own terrifying inner world of demons should have been handled with more sympathy and less reliance on special effects.This is an unlikable picture about unlikable people.