Worth a Second Look

Rating: 9/10 (22 February 2011)

This is a film that crept up on me. It takes one time to sense the rhythms of this film and to accept the strange apparitions that dominate it. As the closing song, "Mad World," typifies, the central character can only accept his demons and, in doing so, have a scintilla of joy. This is about a different kind of altruism, unstuck in time, that some of us wish we could have. Donnie is a popular guy with all kinds of possibilities. He is loving, smart, and eccentric. His family has him seeing a psychiatrist because his actions due to misunderstood visions have caused him to act violently at times. They love him and want him so badly to sort things out. He finds a soul mate, but she has her own demons and never fully understands what is going on. I can't say much because a first time viewer needs to be kept completely in the dark. I would like to watch this again to see things unfold with foreknowledge. It's one of the most intriguing movies I've ever seen.