Very interesting debut from writer/director Richard Kelly. Watch this guy!

Rating: Null/10 (30 November 2002)

I'd heard a lot about 'Donnie Darko' for a long time before I got to see it (it has only just been given a belated cinema release here in Australia for some reason that's difficult to fathom), and it seemed like something I'd flip out over. However I can't say it quite lived up to the hype, and I expected a bit more than it delivered. Even with a few qualms it's still an extremely interesting debut from writer/director Richard Kelly, a guy I now have a lot of confidence in. I hope he manages to live up to the potential 'Donnie Darko' exhibits. Jake Gyllenhaal, previously unknown to me, is excellent in the title role, and heads up a largely obscure cast who are all also fine. There are one or two familiar faces along for the ride. Drew Barrymore, who is also one of the executive producers, didn't do very much for me as one of Donnie's feisty teachers, Patrick Swayze was adequate as a shallow self help guru, and Katherine Ross, who I can hardly remember seeing in anything of note since 'The Stepford Wives', is even better as Donnie's concerned but clueless therapist. I also got a kick out of seeing Gregg Araki favourite James Duval in the bizarre but memorable role of Frank. The scenes between Frank and Donnie being the high points of the movie, and almost worthy of David Lynch at his finest (Lynch being an obvious reference point for the movie as a whole). I advise anyone who has yet to see this to avoid all descriptions of the plot as the less you know about this movie the more enjoyable and surprising it will be. I don't consider it to be a great movie but it is a very good one, which is a lot more than I can say for 90% of Hollywood's output these days. Flawed but fascinating, 'Donnie Darko' is a movie definitely worth making an effort to catch. And keep your eye on Richard Kelly. I eagerly look forward to his next project!