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This is yet
another movie that I had to steal the synopsis of for two reasons. I
didn’t want to give anything away for those who haven’t seen it and I’m
still not sure what it’s about, even after 5 or 6 viewings. Actually,
this movie was made with the intention of having multiple
interpretations which is going to make it hard to do a full review. I
can only tell you what I got out of it and that in a nutshell is, it
made my head hurt from thinking about it. This may actually be the only
movie that I had to research to find out what was going on, unlike
Stay, which you figured out at the end. Well, at least I did. Here
is the FAQ that helped me to understand the film better -
http://www.stainlesssteelrat.net/ddfaq.htm.
It’s a
great mind f*** movie, the tone is dark and there isn’t much happiness
to be found. So if you are looking for a happy ending, look somewhere
else. The soundtrack has a lot of good 80’s tunes on it. Tears For Fears
and Duran Duran to name a few. I especially love Gary Jules version of
“Mad World”.
So, I will
stick to the casting and craftsmanship of the film itself as that each
separate viewing reveals more and more details that change how you think
of this movie. It has a lot of different levels to it. Time travel, what
happens when you die and how the dead can affect the living,
spirituality, and morality. Donnie may be a f***ed up kid but in the end
he does what’s right for the universe. I would love to hear your
opinions on the film, so feel free to
post. SPOILER: My view is that
Donnie was doing what he can to give a reason for the engine being in
existence. See the FAQ mentioned earlier for a deeper explanation.
Casting –
The Darko family was perfectly cast. The opening scene of the family at
dinner seemed pretty realistic to me. It didn’t hurt that
Jake and Maggi Gyllenhaal are
real life siblings. Mary McDonnell is great as Donnie’s mother. There is
one scene between Rose Darko and Eddie Darko in a hotel room where they
are lying n the bed and Rose has her head on Eddie’s stomach using it as
a pillow. Its little things like that that I notice. They just seem to
make it more real to me. Those who know me may be surprised at this. I
think Drew Barrymore’s
performance really sucked in this. Granted it’s a small part but Flower
Films had a lot to do with this. You’d think she could show some
enthusiasm. Noah Wyle does well with what he’s given. Jenna Malone
doesn’t do anything for me. The role of Gretchen could have been played
by almost any teen girl. James Duval as Frank was pretty creepy. And
last but definitely not least – Patrick Swayze as a pervert. Priceless.
Final note,
if you like mind f*** movies or movies that make you think. Go get this
film! If you like movies that have a clean cut beginning, middle, and
end, this may not be for you. It is one of my favorite movies. Thanks
When Is There Soap When You Need It? for asking me to review this. It’s
one that I would never have picked on my own because I knew it would be
difficult.
So, until
Tom Cruise becomes a Saint,
Hang in
there,
Mitch
Best Lines:
Kitty
Farmer: [Tearfully to Rose Darko] Sometimes I doubt your
commitment to Sparkle Motion.
Frank:
28 days... six hours... 42 minutes... 12 seconds. That... is when the
world... will end.
Gretchen: You're weird.
Donnie: Sorry.
Gretchen: No, that was a compliment.
Donnie:
Why do you wear that stupid bunny suit?
Frank: Why are you wearing that stupid man suit?
Gretchen: Donnie Darko? What the hell kind of name is that? It's
like some sort of superhero or something
Donnie: What makes you think I'm not
Principal Cole: Donald let me preface this by saying your Iowa test
scores are intimidating... So, let's go over this again, what exactly
did you say to Ms. Farmer?
Kitty Farmer: [interrupting] I'll tell you what he said -
he asked me to forcibly insert the Lifeline exercise card into my anus!
Donnie:
[to his mother] How's it feel to have a wacko for a son?
Rose Darko: It feels wonderful.
Roberta
Sparrow: Every living creature on this earth dies alone.
Gretchen: ...what if you could go back in time, and take all those
hours of pain and darkness and replace them with something better?
Karen
Pommeroy: 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.
Emily
Bates: Mom said the school is closed today because it's flooded,
and there's feces everywhere!
Susie Bates: What are feces?
Emily Bates: Baby mice.
Susie
Bates: Aww.
Donnie:
[reading poem in class] A storm is coming, Frank says / A storm
that will swallow the children / And I will deliver them from the
kingdom of pain / I will deliver the children back the their doorsteps /
And send the monsters back to the underground / I'll send them back to a
place where no-one else can see them / Except for me / Because I am
Donnie Darko.
Rose
Darko: Our son just called me a b***h.
Edward Darko: You're not a b***h. You're b***hin', but you're not
a b***h.
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