Donnie Darko Film Review

1262 Words6 Pages
Michelle Wilson Film Review: Donnie Darko. 80’s themed films have proven popular in recent years, and Donnie Darko is no exception. This original and unique science fiction film, opened at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival to critical acclaim. Expected to go straight to DVD, the film was picked up by Newmarket Films. Disappointingly, the film didn’t pull back its $4.5 million budget, grossing only $4.1 million at the box office. Drew Barrymore, who stars in the film, gave an immense amount of support to the films production and subsequent release; she used her production company Flower Films to push the film to the big screen. Richard Kelly the films director, stated “the film most likely wouldn’t have seen the light of day had it not been for Drew and Flower Films support”. The film is not only directed by Kelly, but he also created the magnificent screenplay. Drew Barrymore has the distinguished title of executive producer on the film, as well as her wonderful performance as Donnie’s frustrated English teacher, Ms Pomeroy. Unknown at the time actor, Jake Gyllenhaal gives an astounding performance as the complex title character. Donnie is a confused and mentally unstable teenager, who is seeking the meaning of twisted visions of his doomsday demise. Other stars include, Patrick Swayze as local fraudster and sexual deviant, Jim Cunningham, who is brainwashing the community with his new age ideals. Jena Malone plays Donnie’s love interest in the film. Gretchen Ross is just as much a confused teenager as Donnie is, if not for different reasons. Gretchen and Donnie are like magnets, in the fact that they are drawn together by a malevolent force, that leads to a tragic conclusion. The story begins at the end, showing an unexplainable event that happens in the lives of an all American family. At the start of the film the camera smoothly sweeps across the
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