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Donnie Darko (2001)

Director: Richard Kelly

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1 review

Movie review

From Time Out Film Guide

This flawed but promising debut from writer/director Kelly is like The Ice Storm with a surreal psychological twist. It's 1988, and the title character (Gyllenhaal) is a moody adolescent in small town America. After a near fatal incident in which a jet engine falls on his house, Donnie suffers schizophrenic hallucinations of a spooky figure warning of imminent apocalypse. Kelly's script is an over-ambitious mess, dragging in time travel, high school politics, premonition and the presidential chances of Michael Dukakis, but his assured direction compensates. The tone alternates nimbly between comedy and horror, and two early sequences combine music (Echo and the Bunnymen's 'Killing Moon' and Tears for Fears) and image to stunning effect.

Author: NY 0000-00-00 00:00:00

Time Out Film Guide


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  • Magmabulle said...
    Posted on Jun 08 2008 19:44 The director has created a fascinating atmosphere, full of feeling, that keeps you at the edge of your seat throughout the entire movie. Great acting, fantastic soundtrack - simply a surrealistic masterpiece.
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