I Felt Everything..!

Rating: 10/10 (11 August 2015)

I'm actually quite surprised that this movies isn't rated as a thriller here on IMDb, because the combination of a dark and twisted theme, a creepy ominous soundtrack, and Jake Gyllenhaal performing at his very best; literally kept me on the edge of my chair during most of the runtime.
Donnie really is a good-hearted boy, and not long into the movie the only thing you want is for him to be okay. That is why I especially enjoyed following the developing relationship between Donnie & Gretchen. It seems like Gretchen becomes a sanctuary for him, a place where he can truly open himself up without feeling like there is something wrong with him (like in therapy). It's a part of the story that really touches me deeply, and so torrential are my feelings that when Gretchen died, my heart simply fell apart.
And then everything changes, when moments later the entire storyline collapses around you, and the reality of the movie is suddenly changed to another, back at the beginning. When the movie ended I felt, well I felt: Sad that Gretchen died and confused of the changing time line – Happy that Gretchen didn't die after all but on behalf of the family powerless over the tragedy that struck them – Angry at the bullies, but relieved that nothing happened to the rest of the Darko's – Wondering of how grandma death was involved in this, and devastated by the death of Donnie himself, and hence him never experiencing his life with Gretchen. All in all – I felt everything!
After watching Donnie Darko for the first time, two things popped into my mind.
First – Wow that was intense!
Second – I need to watch this again!
After all this, I guess I don't need to point out that the acting of course is flawless – Sound, music and cutting were done perfectly, and the story is written with so much subtext that it will take me many more views before fully understanding what I'm watching.