A Wonderful, Dark Haiku of a Film

Rating: 10/10 (30 March 2002)

"Donnie Darko" is that rare of things: a film that invites deep thoughts to ponder over its presented ideas. Jake Gyllenhall (mark my words, he is the next Edward Norton) is the critical center of the film and it is completely on his shoulders as to the tone and success of the film. He does not falter once, turning in a performance that is both comic and chilling. I cannot praise this film enough! In 1999 we had Fight Club, the breathtakingly brilliant and underpraised film that will gain its proper audience in years to come. Now, in 2001 we have Donnie Darko which if all is right and fair in this world, will gain the cult following it so rightly deserves. This is a film that you do not watch - you experience and let rattle around in your head for days afterward, asking yourself "Is that what that meant?", "Did this mean that?" It's a delight when a film actually toys with you and makes you think rather than deadening the emotions and assaulting you with vapid content (any Michael Bay movie). I loved Donnie Darko. And if you truly love films, you will too.