Movie Addict: Layers of possibilities in 'Donnie Darko’

Fifteen years ago this month a bizarre little flick opened in theaters.

Until just recently I hadn’t seen it, but that all changed when the Times’ summer intern Adam Quandt insisted I watch “Donnie Darko.” And with the film’s anniversary approaching, I decided to do just that.

All I knew about it for sure is that it stars Jake Gyllenhaal — and that it’s … weird, which is the result of mixing drama with science fiction with horror with thriller. But Adam further warned me: “It’s pretty (bleeped) up.”

Excellent.

I fully expected to be confused, and I was. Or was I? The more I think about it, I’m not even entirely convinced I watched this movie. And it may not have made much sense at the time, but looking back at the order of events in my notes now makes me reconsider everything (I think) I saw.

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

In addition to typical teenage boy problems — girls, school, parents — Donnie (Gyllenhaal) is dealing with some bigger issues; there’s mention of “pills” while eating dinner with his family, and Donnie tells his sister Elizabeth (Maggie Gyllenhaal; yes, Jake’s real-life sister) during a routine sibling spat, “Maybe you should be the one in therapy.”

So without yet witnessing anything odd, we get the idea that this kid isn’t exactly normal.

By all accounts, Donnie seems to be a smart kid, who challenges not only his peers and siblings but also his teachers; he lurks around with his shoulders hunched, like he’s always uncomfortable or uncertain. Nothing really unusual there, but ….

There’s the name: Donnie Darko.

“What the hell kind of name is that?” asks the new girl, Gretchen (Jena Malone). “It’s like ... some sort of superhero or something,” she continues, to which Donnie replies, “What makes you think I’m not?”

Ding, ding, ding. Or maybe it’s nothing.

And then comes the voice — just one; its hushed, breathy, persuasive utterance tells Donnie to “Wake up” and “come ... closer,” and we watch it lead Donnie out the door and into the dark of night — among other things.

The voice belongs to Frank, Donnie’s imaginary friend, as he explains to his therapist. Frank is a giant bunny rabbit. With a metallic head. And wide eyes. And a giant, creepy grin.

Hello, nightmares!

As an image of Donnie hallucinatorily fades into an image of Frank, Donnie is told “28 days, six hours, 42 minutes, 12 seconds, that is when the world will end.”

Donnie wakes up with those numbers mysteriously scrawled on his arm and stumbles home to find an airplane engine has crashed through the house.

“It fell in your room,” Elizabeth tells him.

It’s kind of a big deal — and an even bigger deal, looking back — but the troubles Donnie had before he became famous for cheating death still exist, so his life continues as normal.

Or abnormal.

The voice and visits from Frank persist, manipulating Donnie to commit one crime after another, none of them seemingly linked to one another but each with its individual relevance that hopefully will come together in some fashion at the end.

Or not. I’m not kidding; it’s literally like trying to make sense out of something that truly doesn’t make sense.

Or does it? I mean, is any of this actually happening, or is it merely the delusions of Donnie’s emotional instability? Shrug.

There are instances that plant ideas or leave subtle clues about the story and where its narrative might lead: Donnie’s parents (Holmes Osborne, Mary McDonnell) discuss an old classmate whom everyone said “was doomed” — and how people now “say the same thing about Donnie"; Donnie mentions to Gretchen how “lucky” it is that school was canceled so that they might meet; Grandma Death (Patience Cleveland) whispers something to Donnie that remains unclear until later, much like her contribution to the story and the world; Donnie discusses at great length the theories of time travel with his teacher (Noah Wyle); Donnie is convinced he can see the future via mystic “spears” of illuminated paths that determine everyone’s fate.

It’s all kinds of trippy and surreal.

What really caught my attention here are the visuals — the abundance of slow-motion and time-lapse sequences, whether someone jumping on a trampoline, or masses of kids going into the school, or the scan through the school hallway, or Donnie approaching his yard either on foot or on his bicycle, or about half a dozen other instances.

Every time the action was either speeded up or slowed down, it made me aware of the possibility that time was being manipulated. Or maybe I was?

And the scene during which Donnie sees Frank through a liquid-like mirror, or the few times the camera tilts 90 degrees or turns completely in a circle — to me it hinted at something dreamlike or otherworldly.

I was told by several people that “the more you watch it, the more you see.” I don’t doubt that theory, but I only watched it once, during which I was trying to look for any type of symbolism or subtle meaning in everything.

I’m still not sure if I missed something, or if there was too much or not enough.

“Donnie Darko” is a cerebral flick for sure. It’s meant to get people talking, and it does. It’s meant to be watched and re-watched.

And maybe we’re supposed to watch it over and over — because after a certain number of viewings, perhaps the ending changes? Nudge, wink.

My advice? Don’t think; don’t try to read into anything, because I did that, and I think it skewed my perception. Or maybe it didn’t. Just watch it, and allow your mind to soak in what it wants to or discard it all the same.

And then probably watch it again. I’ve read that the director’s cut helps remove some of the film’s vagueness. I’m thinking I might go that route next, but then I wonder if that’s too easy.

Also, good luck getting “Mad World” out of your head; it's been stuck in mine for a week.

As of right now I have my own theories, and I’m sure Adam has his. “Donnie Darko” seems to have crafted layer upon layer of possibilities, and I bet if you talked to 100 different people they’d give you 100 different explanations.

And they’re all probably right.

This is the opinion of news assistant and Movie Addict Melissa King. Follow her on Twitter @stcmovieaddict or email her at meking@stcloudtimes.com. Read more of her columns at www.sctimes.com/mking.