To try and categorise 'Donnie Darko' is to limit its definition.

Rating: 10/10 (11 January 2003)

You could be excused for feeling a sense of prejudged disappointment while walking into the cinema to watch 'Donnie Darko.' Besides, it is a low budget first attempt at movie making for writer/director Richard Kelly. I admit I did. And now I admit I was wrong. Very wrong.
'Donnie Darko' is 'Donnie Darko'. I don't think I can make any other comparisons. 'Donnie Darko' must win the most original screenplay award. If it doesn't I would like to see what does.
Kelly wrote this gem based in the eighties focusing on a main character (obviously Darko acted by Jake Gyllenhaal) who is either a future seeing hero, or a schizophrenic villian. He meets a new imaginary friend named Frank who is a six foot bunny rabbit. Sound strange, well that's just the beginning of a rollacoaster ride of an amazing screenplay. Frank's character being a rabbit might make this movie sound like it's a comedy, but it isn't, and in fact it works, with the scenes being very creepy and amazingly twisted which supports the possibility of Donnie suffering a mental illness.
'Donnie Darko' isn't a comedy but it is comedic, it isn't a drama but it's dramatic, it isn't a thriller but it's thrilling. It even has a touch of science fiction. This movie is everything. Probably the most holistic effort I've seen. To try and categorise 'Donnie Darko' is to limit it's definition.
Very deep, emotional, entertaining, intellectually stimulating, conversation starting piece of movie making. Great characters with great development. Great movie. I can't wait for Richard Kelly's next movie. This movie should have been on mainstream cinema. There is so much rubbish out there and in my opinion this is the best movie of 2002.