← Back to results
Donnie Darko
2001 114 min United States of America R 18+
★8.2
Fantasy, Drama, Mystery
Director: Richard Kelly
Trailers
EN
EN
EN
Teaser
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
Description
After narrowly escaping a bizarre accident, a troubled teenager is plagued by visions of a large bunny rabbit that manipulates him to commit a series of crimes.
Budget:
$4.5M
US Gross:
$1.48M
Worldwide:
$7.5M
Starring
Jake Gyllenhaal
Actor
Jena Malone
Actor
Mary McDonnell
Actor
Awards
Saturn Awards 2002
— Special Award (Young Filmmaker's Showcase)
Saturn Awards 2006
— Best Special DVD Edition
Sundance Film Festival 2001
— Grand Jury Prize (Drama)
Key opinion
Donnie Darko is a surreal, cult-classic psychological drama that polarizes viewers with its dense, puzzle-like narrative and atmospheric blending of teen angst with sci-fi. While many celebrate its emotional resonance and thematic ambition, others find the complex plot and symbolic ambiguity frustratingly incoherent.
| Acting | Jake Gyllenhaal delivers a nuanced and charismatic lead performance that anchors the film's erratic tone. | |
| Score | The evocative soundtrack, particularly the haunting cover of "Mad World," creates a lasting, atmospheric emotional resonance. | |
| Direction | Richard Kelly’s direction effectively builds a mesmerizing, Lynchian sense of dread and eerie mystery within a suburban setting. | |
| Screenplay | The film's dense, non-linear screenplay balances existential philosophy and sci-fi mystery, though it is frequently criticized for being overly symbolic and difficult to follow without the Director's Cut. | |
| Screenplay | The film's erratic internal logic, including inconsistent character dynamics and age portrayals, leads some to view the writing as mediocre rather than profound. |