 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Donnie Darko
- Review Date: May 16, 2008
- R
- Genre: Science Fiction
- 2001
Common Sense Media says
Winningly edgy teen-angst sci-fi tragicomedy.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that much swearing (from all ages) and sex talk represents the generally anti-establishment viewpoint of the hero here: an angry, possibly mentally ill teen. Classroom vandalism (apparently committed by the hero under some sort of spell) and profane disrespect of teachers and authority-figure adults is part of the plot, and not exactly frowned upon. There is teen sex (non-explicit), references to pornography, and violent death at the end.
What's the story?
In a cozy affluent suburb in October, 1988, Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal), a rebellious teen, smart but diagnosed with mental illness and sort of a misfit at school, is lured from his bedroom by a phantom wearing a grotesque, metal-masked rabbit costume. The rabbit, "Frank," tells him exactly when the world will end -- in 28 days. Meanwhile a shattering series of events disrupt Donnie's already-unsteady world, including young love with a new girl at school. A plane engine falls out of nowhere onto his house, a sympathetic English teacher (Drew Barrymore) is punished for her choice of literature in the class, a youth-mentoring positive-thinking guru (Patrick Swayze) brainwashes the community, visions of wormlike appendages emerge from people's chests, and a neighborhood crazy lady turns out to be an ex-nun scientist who researched time-travel and metaphysical cause-effect paradoxes. Got all that? More menacing visits from "Frank" the rabbit lead to a Halloween night revelation, and Donnie realizing his pivotal role in this weird, interconnected web of destiny.
Is it any good?
DONNIE DARKO was embraced as a genuinely oddball "cult" item almost instantly upon its unsuccessful theatrical release. Like most cult movies, it works well on numerous levels -- as a brainy piece of science-fiction, an ominous psychological thriller, a satire on suburban values, or a tragic drama of a doomed young rebel. If anything it goes a little overboard in making adults (especially teachers/faculty) look cowed or cravenly stupid compared with the unstable but intellectually brilliant Donnie, well played by Gyllenhaal as a guy who can be likeable, sympathetic, and scary all at once.
Though Donnie -- sometimes in a trance-state, sometimes consciously -- commits vandalism and lashes out, he's smart enough to sense the eerie time-warp pattern behind all the odd goings-on. And he's heroic enough to make a Christ-like sacrifice at the end, for the good of everyone else, when the "end of the world" comes. Though it's possible he never had a choice -- just the insight. But by making their hero a classic underdog teen trying to come to grips with society, rather than an adult, the filmmakers created a far more poignant tragi-comic-coming-of-age-giant-skull-faced-rabbit-horror drama. Can you name a better one?
Explore, discuss, enjoy
Families can talk about what in the twisty plot is "real" or not, and whether the "philosophy of time travel" holds up. Could this whole story all be the result of delusional Donnie not taking his medication, as his family complains at the start? Did Donnie ever have control over the events that unfold?
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Teen, 15 years old
May 30, 2010
AGE
very thought provoking! love it
amazing movie.
completely blown away by it. There's definitely some stuff that's iffy for kids but teens should be fine. Nothing to worry about.
Very thought-provoking. The movie however doesn't do a very good job of explaining itself. Assuming you aren't watching the director's cut, I recommend watching it once, googling some analyses, and watching it again. But very interesting, accurate portrayal of teen life, love it. One of my favorites ever
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Parent of 15 year old
May 3, 2010
AGE
Worth watching
Its a good movie that helps parents to understand their teenager boys and girls,but I think we are in situation that demands kids to try to understand their parents.think we have gone so far trying to make them feel grown-up,courageous and self-reliant,at the same time,we did make them careless and selfish.need some media that will tell them that its not always your parents who has to tolerate everything just because you are a growing teenager,but its you who has to love and respect your parents,let alone"bich" them.
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Teen, 17 years old
January 29, 2010
AGE
Not exactly the most uplifting, but still worth your time
Donnie Darko is personally one of my favorites, but I do have to warn viewers that it definitely leaves you with a very empty feeling and you're kind of left staring at the screen for a few minutes after it ends. I love its discussion of fear and love and metaphysics.
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Teen, 15 years old
December 11, 2009
AGE
This is in the top 3 of my favorite movies of all time. The acting is soo realistic and even the bad language adds to the authenticity of the film. The film has angst, sci fi, sacrifice, religion and coming of age all rolled into one. The ending is so mind bending it hurts! this is a movie that you will need to watch more than once to appreciate the many ways that this film can be interpreted.
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Adult
October 21, 2009
AGE
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Teen, 16 years old
June 4, 2010
AGE
Best movie I have even seen and ages 13 to older
This is my favorite movie ever. I think the over use of cussing is wrong, but it helps you to understand who Donnie is. A depressed teen. It's used to force a point not just there. A lot of people think that Frank the bunny is scary, personally if you are at least thirteen and watching the movie it won't scare you. I'm tweleve and didn't jump once and I love Frank. There was sexual reference but from my memory the only sign they were having sex was Donnie taking off his jacket while kissing the girl. That's it and they don't show anymore after that. Some paerents are very concerned with cursing and even though I agree I don't think it should stop anyone from watching this movie. It's just like movies with Go Ask Alice, great message, but because of drug use parents won't let kids watch it. You'd be amazed at what kids know when they're seven. (much worse than anything in this movie).
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Teen, 15 years old
July 12, 2010
AGE
ARE YOU SERIOUS?!
Call me crazy, but this movie is waaaay too over the top. The overuse of strange moments in this movie shows that it's trying too hard. It tries to put teens in an unrealistic adult situation, while still trying to make it believable. Unfortunately, they try go off the deep end and make an overcomplicated mess of unconvincing characters, boring plot sequences, and an unskillful way of meshing fiction to real life.
The sexual content and raunch factor is strangely high, and very much unneeded. The language is a stupid, constant stream of unintelligent vulgar ramblings that can be somewhat amusing, but not enough to push the viewer into Donnie's world. Also, the political and religious undertones of the films can be found detestable. The story meanders and piles more unbelievable happenings to this semi-realistic world. No one is a role model.
The only saving grace of this film is Jake Gyllenhaal's acting and the somehwat intriguing ideas conveyed through the film. Extremely disappointing. 2 STARS.
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Teen, 15 years old
February 23, 2010
AGE
Donnie Darko
First I need to say.... This is my favorite movie. It is amazing..... Anyway parents need to know that this movie is not the most explicit r movie. But there is violence, a bunch of f bombs and teenage smoking and drinking. Parents check this out before your kids do.
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| Studio: | Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment |
| Director: | Richard Kelly |
| Cast: | Drew Barrymore, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone |
| Genre: | Science Fiction |
| Run time: | 113 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | October 10, 2001 |
| DVD release date: | February 4, 2003 |
| MPAA rating: | R |
| MPAA explanation: | language, some drug use and violence |
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