the eerie and sarcastic tone of the film stuck in my head for days

Rating: 9/10 (22 June 2002)

This wonderful film is soothing and disturbing at the same time. I guess it depends on who you identify with. The strong catharsis the film is leading towards was the most comforting ending I've experienced in a film in a long time. There may still be hope for all those who don't fit in and wonder if they are really the only sane ones among all those who are really just afraid of you. When society says you are negative or weird when you know that you're the only one who can actually deal with the truth. This is perfectly illustrated by the role of Patrick Swayze (comparable to the role of Tom Cruise in Magnolia)as the cleancut instuctor on living with fear, his oversimplified "philosophy" of human emotion. No wonder he is metaphorized as the Anti Christ! I thought the film was filled with references to eighties teen films, ranging from Back to the Future to Carrie, but with a bitterly sarcastic undertone. The sneering cynicism at all those values Americans claim to hold so high it rises above them, was excellent. To a European audience some issues raised, like banning Graham Greene's books, are probably ridiculous and out of the question in Europe. To totally grasp some of these issues I guess you need good knowledge of American white middle-upperclass society. Overall the film is very original though at the same time it definitely fits in the line of the new genre of American films exposing the other, darker, if you will, side of supposedly ideal suburbian society, like American Beauty and Todd Solondz' films have done. Donnie Darko leaves you paralyzed and confused but it also made me feel wonderful. The fantastic elements are beautiful and daring. I was so sure that Donnie's hallucinations were real, that they were merely a higher step to the essence of being. It's a beautiful film in many ways, I didn't even mention the beautiful camerawork, adding to the dreamy atmosphere. I'm glad to see some new talent has risen again!