Quibbles

Rating: Null/10 (4 November 2002)

Well, yes, Donnie Darko is certainly original. Well, yes, the actors are fabulous. Well, yes, Richard Kelly is a hot new talent. Well, yes, it breathes some fresh air into the fantasy reality premise.
But, when it came to the all-important climax, I felt that Kelly's sure touch failed completely. I simply didn't understand the ending. After Donnie sees the skies turning wormy over his home town and Mary McDonnell feels the bump in her airplane ride, I lost the plot.
Why was Donnie still in bad when the engine hit his house? Why was he smiling? What, in fact, was happening?
The fact is, I don't know.
Frankly, I rather suspect Kelly pulled a fast one, hoped we were so bound up in the extraordinary images and stories, we would fail to grasp this gaping hole at the centre of his film.
It almost worked, but ten minutes from the end, I thought I was watching a great movie. As the credits rolled, I wanted my money back.
Did I miss something?
Was 'Donnie Darko' just a shaggy dog (or rabbit) story?
I want the facts.