I watched this movie tonight for the hell of it (and partly because some good buzz about it I recalled from here). It was an excellent movie up until the end, where I became completely lost.

Is there intentionally no "right" answer to the ending, or did I miss something along the way?

On one hand it seemed like he cheated fate to do some things he always wanted to do, on the other hand it seemed like he went back in time to intentionally kill himself. But neither really makes sense. Or was his life payback for shooting that other guy in the face?

Oh wow...ok what's your phone number and do you have about 5 hours free to chat?

Sweeny79 said:

lol does it take that long??

Tom said:

After I saw it the first time....Byron and I talked about it for 10 hours straight! But we are a bit strange...

Basicly it's this....

When the engine fell through Donnie's house, it opened up a parallel universe of sorts.

Donnie figures all this out, gets some super hero powers along the way, and rights the wrong by sending the engine back up in the sky and eventually killing him while he lies in bed.

All the while he learns the meaning of true love and gains a massive amount of spirituality along the way.

There are loopholes big enough to drive 9s's tractor through in the story, but it's a great journey to watch unfold.


Am I wrong Byron?

Sweeny79 said:

not byron...but that's it in a nutshell. i am on the fence with this movie. i liked it...but something about it just didn't click completely with me. it was missing that something i can never lay my finger on. i felt the same way with gattica and dark city...but i know the missing somethings from those. i may need to see this movie again to get a better taste for it...I think I need to see it uncut.

Donnie Darko I think has that capabilty as a movie in which one could ponder it endlessly until they go back in time themselves.(now don't get me on the "mollholland drive" thing...cuz there's a movie I can not only watch endlessly, but discuss it like there's no tomorrow)
[Edited 10/25/04 19:00pm]

superspaceboy said:

The uncut stuff is on the DVD I think...it doesn't add much clarity.

I love the "something missing" hollow feel of this movie. So much of it is up to each viewer that's the beauty of it.

Part of me thinks the movie is just like one big optical illusion. There's no logical explanation to it all, you just appreciate it for what it is. I noticed they flashed an Escher image a few times...

Did anyone see the re-release this year? Was it any different?

Tom said:

I agree

endorphin74 said:

i saw it when i was in NYC for labor day weekend, and yeah - it's fairly different...it explains more by way of roberta sparrow's time travel book.

donniedarko.com is a good place to go to get a little bit of kinda-sorta clarity on the movie, or at least enjoy some more quality mindfuck.

Anxiety said:

I read it was the same as the DVD extra/deleted scenes. is that true?

Sweeny79 said:

no, not exactly. there's stuff incorporated from the roberta sparrow book you're able to flip through in the DVD extras, though the way the text is edited in the movie helps it make a lot more sense.

Anxiety said:

Cool...I'll have to see that! Thanks

Anxiety said:

interesting. are they gonna put this new version on DVD?

I spose my lazy ass could go to the website you just referenced to find this out. But, I'm verrrry lazy.

endorphin74 said:

you aren't gonna find anything out at the web site...not easily, anyway.

Anxiety said:

POP QUIZ! How much attention did you pay during the movie?

Anxiety said:

oh, it's one of THOSE!!!

I'll have to check it out tomorrow. When my brain is functioning again.

endorphin74 said:

it's very infuriating and difficult, but it's also a freakin' amazing web site.

Sweeny79 said:

well, i remember the one part where jim carrey does the thing with his face.

I saw this movie once (rented the DVD).

My take on it is that the main topic of the film is FATE.
Donnie's life was leading up to that mysterious engine from the future which was supposed to have taken his life but - because of his sleepwalking - didn't.

The demonic bunny was fate leading him to fulfill his "destiny" - that is - finding the "wormhole" back to the time of his predestined death and allowing it to happen (and thereby undoing what would later happen to his "girlfriend").

It was cool.

DD's a great movie! One really could sit and think about it for hours and not come to any sort of logical conclusion.

Anyone else besides me love the song that's played as the credits roll? It's called 'Mad World", and I believe it's by Gary Jules. It really complements the feel of the movie well, and adds to that unsettled feeling some people experience after watching it. I love it!

http://www.ruinedeye.com/cd/time1.htm
roberta sparrows book can be read here.

Raine said:

Is that for REAL...???

"DD" is like a David Lynch or Bunuel film--everyone needs to come up with there own interpretation. My girlfriend and I actually have divergent views on the film's meaning, particularly the ending.

I looked in vain for a Frank costume this year. I'm tired of wearing this stupid human suit!

I love the movie myself...here's a great site (reminds me of the org, but for DD)...lots of good ideas about the movie there...check it out!!!

http://darkomovie.proboar...gi#general

"Donnie Darko"??...Never heard of it.

Byron said:

Hey! You use that same avatar as that Wellbeyond fella!

Tom said:

I think I need someone to explain it to me too!!

I always thought he simply used the discovered time travel plan to keep him from all the misery afterwards. He saved himself and others...in my eyes.

GooeyTheHamster said:

Ditto!!!