Donnie Darko (2001) Fathom Entertainment
(dir. Richard Kelly)
By: Tarek Fayoumi
Donnie Darko, The Imaginary Friend Component is still Spellbinding:
Celebrating 25 years, Fathom Entertainment brings Donnie Darko back to the big screen. Written and directed by Richard Kelly (Southland Tales, The Box), the event begins with a few words from Kelly himself about his experience with creating Donnie Darko. He mentions how the making of the film loops way back to 1993, and how each scene continues to have meaning to him today. The bulk of that meaning focuses primarily around supernatural forces and tying it into the film’s main character, Donnie Darko, played by Jake Gyllenhaal (Cityslickers, October Sky). Donnie is a disgruntled and frustrated teen who is getting counseling. On the outside world though, he has an imaginary friend named Frank, a giant bunny rabbit. While the film includes many quietly haunting moments, Frank’s insistence that Donnie go on a crime spree may be the darkest. Revisiting Donnie Darko felt more real than ever before witnessing the cult classic on the big screen.
The Dynamic Between Jake Gyllenhaal and Noah Wyle:
What I found deeply compelling with Donnie Darko, were the moments shared between Jake Gyllenhaal and Noah Wyle (The Pitt, ER). Wyle plays Prof. Kenneth Monitoff, the doctor Donnie visits for advice about science and supernatural forces. As Donnie takes a journey, the turbulent parts of his mind take him to strange places, while the words of Dr. Monitoff drive Donnie down an increasingly darker, deeper path. The various angles of darkness cast against its California setting, create a spectacle to behold within Donnie Darko.
Worth the time?
Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Donnie Darko is definitely worth the time and money. Especially since there is an introduction of brief explanations from the director himself. There is that wall of clarification. That is because Kelly explains how pop culture, childhood memories and 80s music fueled his narrative. Those factors created suspense for Donnie Darko. There is more essence in context before the movie begins. For information on Donnie Darko and other Fathom Entertainment events, visit the link below.