Amazing debut

Rating: 9/10 (2 September 2003)

Has there been a more remarkable debut film than "Donnie Darko" in the last 20 years? Even if there has, it does nothing to take away from Richard Kelly's fascinating, endearing science fiction/comedy/romance/tragedy. That may seem like a lot of hats for one movie to wear, but Kelly navigates fearlessly through a complex, circular plot heavy with ideas. With strong performances from a large cast, as well as measured, yet creative use of special effects, "Donnie Darko" is certainly one of the most unique films to appear in theaters in a long time.
Donnie Darko, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, is a teenager growing up in suburban Virginia. He has stable, caring parents (the excellent Holmes Osborne and Mary McDonnell), a wry, knowing older sister (Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jake's real life sister), and with Drew Barrymore and Noah Wyle, a set of smart teachers who take a personal interest in Donnie's struggles with modern life. Jake Gyllenhaal does amazing work as Donnie. While his character seems to be painted in broad strokes - he has had run-ins with the law, he rebels against his parents, he mocks a new age con who gives a talk at his school - there is a great deal of nuance and precision in how Gyllenhaal, as Donnie, acts towards those around him. Particularly strong are the scenes between Donnie and his therapist, played by Katharine Ross. Despite being confronted with surrealistic hallucinations portending the end of the world, Gyllenhaal never allows Donnie to lose touch with his basic humanity, and by extension, the audience.
Kelly fills his film with a lot of discussion about topics that are rarely discussed at length in mainstream cinema - the existence of God, the possibility of time travel, the mysteries of the afterlife. Yet these issues never overload the narrative. Instead, they drive Donnie forward on his quest to figure out the meaning behind his baffling experiences. Who is the man in the rabbit suit? Why has he chosen Donnie to carry out these tasks? What role does Roberta Sparrow, "Grandma Death," have to play in this tale? Some questions are never answered fully, but Kelly answers enough of them with a stellar ending to leave the viewer satisfied.
"Donnie Darko" is hardly the first film to try and deconstruct the problems inherent in quiet modern American life; it's easy to draw parallels with films like "American Beauty" and "The Ice Storm," to name a couple. But no other film in recent memory has used such startling technique and vivid storytelling to totally reimagine suburbia as a fertile breeding ground for wondrous miracles. Not to be missed.