I don't get it.


So I see that Donnie Darko's on TV last week one night at midnight -- a movie I've wanted to watch for a few years but never gotten around to it. I love quirky, cult movies. I like Jake Gyllenhaal. I've heard great things about this movie. So I record it, then I sit down, lights dimmed, with my little bag of low fat popcorn and Diet Coke (let the fun begin), and press play......

And I wait for things to start making sense. I'm open for it to be weird or strange or whatever. I want to be hip and "get" it. I want to be part of the in crowd. The cool kids who like movies like Donnie Darko.

I didn't get it. There wasn't one moment where everything clicked for me.

SPOILERS FOR THE MOVIE AHOY. SORT OF.

The bunny thing was interesting and creepy. But it didn't make any sense by the end of the movie. Why would that dude wear a Halloween costume like that? Just because it's strange? Did it have any meaning? Why a black, creepy bunny? And why would that entity be the thing to act as Donnie's "guide"? And why was it making him do things like burn that pedophile's house down and flood the school?

What was the deal with the old lady? She wrote the book on Time Travel, but why?

And how did Donnie Darko get back in his bedroom when he was on the cliff that night? Did he jump into the cool special effect stormy thing over his house?

And why don't I like Drew Barrymore and never have since ET?

And why did it take place in the 80's? (However, I did enjoy the soundtrack immensely)

Should I watch it again? Will it blow my mind? I loved The Butterfly Effect (don't judge me) and other strange, alternate/parallel universe-type, time travel stories.

Just not this one. And that makes me sort of sad.

However, it did make a bit more sense to me than Dollhouse did.

Hell, maybe it's just me.

Comments

Nicole Peeler said…
The bunny skeeves me out. I was at a halloween party, years ago, and someone wearing the bunny suit hit on me. Seriously? He's lucky I wasn't carrying mace. Creepy, creepy bunny.
Bunny B said…
I'm with you! I loved Butterfly Effect but didn't enjoy Donnie Darko.
Anna said…
I'm right there with you. I have seen it several times and I still get confused.
I didn't get this movie, either. And I usually enjoy quirky films. Love Jake and Maggie, but...eh....
Jaye Wells said…
I haven't see Donnie Darko, but after your review I totally want to.
Anonymous said…
I have never seen Donnie Darko, and I don't think I want to anymore. =/
Anonymous said…
The bunny is supposed to skeeve you out. I'll say it--I'm the reason DD is a cult hit. I love this movie. The heart-breaking isolation of Donnie, the uncertainty of how much of the story is Donnie's psychosis and how much is real, the skeevy rabbit who's really trying to help Donnie, the beauty of his choice to save the girl he loves.

Oh, and my favorite movie to pair with this is...Harvey. Big rabbit no one else can see, heart-breaking aloneness of the main character, the uncertainty of reality.
Anonymous said…
So if you haven't seen it, but want to, stop reading here.

I could be wrong, but Michelle, I think you're supposed to get out if it that nothing happened. Everything from him getting up in the middle of the night so as to avoid getting killed by the plane part is a 'flash forward' Donnie has in his mind as if to satisfy himself that his death won't be for nothing. In the momentary fantasy, he creates for him a strange series of future events that will result in the death of a girl he loves-- That way, when he dies instead of living out that future, he is saving her life at least in his mind.

Or he's just crazy and this was a trip to crazy town. I think it's also supposed to involve a dark mirror to the Harvey story.
Thank you bryngreenwood for the Harvey reference!

I own a copy of Donnie Darko, my husband owns a copy, and I think we jacked one from a friend's house just to make sure we had enough in case an Apocalyptic event occurred and we needed something to entertain us while the world rebuilds.

The first time I saw it I wasn't too impressed, but after the second time I was in love. There are certain movies out there that completely change for you the second time around. Like The Big Lebowski or Juno. HATED them the first time. Love them now.
Pat said…
Sometimes it DOES help to watch a movie a second time. But if you still feel like you're watching a movie in a foreign language, then I say it's time to move on. So many things on tape, so little time!
T.M. Thomas said…
I'm much more of a "Bubble Boy" sort of viewer, myself.
Mark Henry said…
God I love this movie. I see it this way, it's a simple, life passing before your eyes when you die kind of thing. Except Donnie's life is filtered through a hidden psychosis. Genius.
Michelle Rowen said…
All right, I'm sold. I'll give it another try and see if I get anything more out of it. :)
Brooke Reviews said…
LOL Jackie, I HATED The Big Lebowski, and didn't want to finish watching it with my boyfriend (who loves it), maybe I should give it another shot.

I'm part of the group who disliked Butterfly Effect greatly, and loved DD.

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