Review of Donnie Darko (2001) by Charles R — 16 Sep 2013

How to start -- a movie like Donnie Darko thrives mostly because it manages to stick in the back of your mind like a question you just can't figure out or a nagging memory that you can't quite fill in but are determined to unravel one of these days (for me this often happens when I remember a tune I once loved, yet can't remember any lyrics, title, or artist that it belongs to).

You continue to pick it apart but it still doesn't spill the contents in any linear fashion... it just gives hints as to what it is or why it feels so damn important to your life, but never really gives up the goods.

That's the kind of thought (or thoughts, in general) this movie is full of. But before I get carried away (too late!), for the sake of normal viewers, I'll honestly stay that DD alllso sticks because it's got a great soundtrack, giant Millenial-sized ideas (pre-destiny, existential prophecy, dodging death, etc) that challenged new concepts in my generation's consciousness that had never been brought up as vividly and fantastically before, Jake Gyllenhaal and indie heartthrob Jena Malone at their glowering best, and by far one of the creepiest goddamn masks (creepier than Scream, IMO) in cinema history.

While Richard Kelly might not have envisioned a better way to tighten this creepy sci-fi brainteaser, there's still a helluva lot of imagination and perfect teen-movie moments to warrant this as a hands down midnight movie classic.

5/5 For those who don't care for as much gobbledegook in their cinema, at least the soundtrack is aces. Simply put, not many people could make a movie this confusing look and sound so damn good. Eat your heart out David Lynch!