“Donnie Darko” is a 2001 psychological thriller and science fiction film written and directed by Richard Kelly. Jake Gyllenhaal stars in the titular role, and notable performances are also provided by Jena Malone, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Mary McDonnell, Holmes Osborne, Katharine Ross, Patrick Swayze, Noah Wyle, and Drew Barrymore.
The story is set in the late 1980s and follows Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal), a troubled teenager living in the suburban town of Middlesex, Virginia. Donnie is plagued by feelings of alienation and emotional disturbance. He is also a sleepwalker, often waking up in strange places without remembering how he got there.
One night, Donnie is awakened by a mysterious figure named Frank (James Duval) in a creepy rabbit costume. Frank informs Donnie that the world will end in 28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes, and 12 seconds. That same night, a jet engine inexplicably falls from the sky and crashes into Donnie’s bedroom, which he narrowly escapes thanks to his sleepwalking episode.
As the predicted apocalypse count continues, Donnie’s behavior becomes increasingly erratic and violent. He starts seeing Frank more frequently, who influences him to commit a series of destructive acts, such as flooding his high school and burning down the house of local motivational speaker Jim Cunningham (Patrick Swayze), who is later revealed to be a pedophile.
Donnie’s relationship with his family is strained, particularly with his sister Elizabeth (Maggie Gyllenhaal). However, he finds solace in his burgeoning romance with Gretchen Ross (Jena Malone), a new girl with a troubled past at school. Donnie also engages in deep philosophical discussions with his science teacher, Dr. Monnitoff (Noah Wyle), and his English teacher, Karen Pomeroy (Drew Barrymore), who introduce him to time travel and existentialism concepts.
Throughout the film, Donnie becomes increasingly obsessed with time travel and the possibility of altering the fabric of reality. He begins to piece together clues that suggest he might be part of a larger cosmic plan. This includes encounters with Grandma Death (Katharine Ross), an elderly woman who constantly checks her mailbox, waiting for a letter that never comes. She symbolizes Donnie’s growing fascination with the nature of existence and fate.
Donnie’s visions and actions become more intense as the prophesied date approaches. In a climactic series of events, Gretchen is accidentally killed during a confrontation between Donnie and local bullies. In his grief and desperation, Donnie realizes he has the power to prevent the tragedies that have unfolded. Using his knowledge about time travel, Donnie sacrifices himself to reset the timeline.
In the film’s final scenes, Donnie willingly returns to bed on the night of the jet engine incident. As the engine crashes into his room, the timeline is reset, erasing the events of the past 28 days. The film ends with various characters experiencing a sense of déjà vu, hinting at the alternate reality they unknowingly lived through. Gretchen, who never met Donnie in the reset timeline, passes by his house, and the two share a moment of unspoken recognition before parting ways.
“Donnie Darko” is a complex, multi-layered film that explores themes of mental illness, destiny, and the nature of reality.
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