Donnie Darko (2001)

Director:

Richard Kelly

Writer:

Richard Kelly (written by)

Release Date:

30 January 2002 (France)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Life is one long insane trip. Some people just have better directions.

Plot:

A troubled teenager is plagued by visions of a large bunny rabbit that manipulates him to commit a series of crimes, after narrowly escaping a bizarre accident.

Plot Keywords:

Rabbit | Vision | Teacher | Insanity | Death

Awards:

11 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Jake Gyllenhaal	...	Donnie Darko
Holmes Osborne	...	Eddie Darko
Maggie Gyllenhaal	...	Elizabeth Darko
Daveigh Chase	...	Samantha Darko
Mary McDonnell	...	Rose Darko
James Duval	...	Frank
Arthur Taxier	...	Dr. Fisher
Patrick Swayze	...	Jim Cunningham
Mark Hoffman	...	Police Officer
David St. James	...	Bob Garland
Tom Tangen	...	Man in Red Jogging Suit
Jazzie Mahannah	...	Joanie James
Jolene Purdy	...	Cherita Chen
Stuart Stone	...	Ronald Fisher
Gary Lundy	...	Sean Smith

Also Known As:

Donnie Darko: The Director's Cut (USA) (director's cut)

MPAA:

Rated R for language, some drug use and violence.; Rated R for language, some underage drug and alcohol use, and violence. (director's cut)

Runtime:

113 min | 133 min (director's cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Portugal:M/12 (director's cut) | Iceland:16 | Spain:13 | Hungary:16 | Brazil:14 | New Zealand:M (director's cut) | Sweden:11 (TV rating) | Sweden:15 | Australia:M | Canada:14A | Canada:G (Quebec) | Czech Republic:15 | Finland:K-15 | France:U | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:IIB | Ireland:15 | Italy:T | Japan:PG-12 | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:NC-16 | South Korea:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | Canada:A (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Pandora Cinema

Trivia:

The words "Cellar Door" are written on the chalkboard in Karen Pommeroy's classroom. When Donnie asks about their meaning, she replies that "This famous linguist once said that of all the phrases in the English language, of all the endless combinations of words in all of history, that Cellar Door is the most beautiful." In the director's commentary Richard Kelly mistakenly attributes the phrase to Edgar Allan Poe, but it was actually J.R.R. Tolkien who, in his 1955 essay "English and Welsh", said that "Most English-speaking people . . . will admit that cellar door is 'beautiful', especially if dissociated from its sense (and from its spelling). More beautiful than, say, sky, and far more beautiful than beautiful."

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Donnie is talking to Frank when they're in the movie theater at a screening of "The Evil Dead", Gretchen appears to be asleep. However, the scene that appears to be playing (where the porch swing is swaying back on forth on its own) happens just minutes into that movie. Gretchen would have had to have fallen asleep almost instantly.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Elizabeth: I'm voting for Dukakis.

Movie Connections:

References C.H.U.D. (1984)

Soundtrack:

Show Me

You can't watch it only once

I first saw this on cable tv. Thumbing through the channels I stopped just as Donnie Darko was beginning. I thought the title was weird, and readied my thumb on the remote channel selector...pointed it at the TV...and it stayed there for the rest of the movie! I couldn't stop watching! I've never seen a movie like this. The movie has a beautiful aspect (especially the end). And there are a few chuckles as well. Contrary to the more critical commentary, there is depth and complexity to the story that kind of requires you to see it more than once. I'm no genius, but what I gathered the basis of Donnie Darko to be is about our part in the deliberate DESIGN of our destiny, and I catch more each time I watch it.

Regardless of anything, sincere thought and expression went in to the making of Donnie Darko. Mixed with skill and technical ability = Art.

A WORK OF ART! In the top 100 movies of all time in my opinion.