Dark and mindblowing, but amazingly entertaining.

Rating: 10/10 (17 February 2003)

At the end of Donnie Darko, my friend and I just sat in the theatre, trying to figure out what had happened. We were immersed in a sweet kind of confusion. We had no idea what had just happened, but both of us came out of the theatre saying that it was the best movie we'd been to in a long time. Donnie Darko is the kind of movie that keeps you thinking for days or weeks after you've seen it. After seeing it several times now, I think perhaps I've got it figured out, but I keep wanting to watch to see if I can figure anything else out.
While Donnie Darko is confusing and dark, it is also funny and entertaining. It is set in the mid to late 80s, and deals with elements of science fiction, family issues, psychological issues, teenaged issues, and more. It's a bit of a farce on societal factors as well, with the whole Love and Fear thing. The acting, especially by Jake Gyllenhaal and Mary McDonnel, is believable and real. I just enjoy Donnie Darko more each time I watch it. I recommend it to anyone who can appreciate a little science fiction mixed in with everything else any good movie would have to offer.