What Donnie Darko (2001) Means to Me
Donnie Darko (2001) is a masterpiece of a movie, in my opinion. I think it's one of those movies that everyone, especially those my age (I'm 15), should watch at least once.
I also feel like it isn't talked about as much as it should be. For me, it's one movie that made me feel truly understood as someone who struggles with mental health and social isolation. The characters are well-written, it's well-directed, and the plot is incredible. One criticism I see is that the plot is hard to follow, which is true, but that's also part of the point of the movie. Donnie Darko's own life is hard to follow; it's confusing and non-linear in the best way possible. I personally see the movie as being from Donnie's perspective, like he's an outsider watching the events unfold. He's just as confused as the viewer, though his confusion isn't exactly stereotypical, but rather the kind that he masks and tries to deny.
There are many theories in terms of the overall message and meaning of Donnie Darko, and I think they're all valid. It's a movie that's meant to be interpreted differently by different people. I think there's no right or wrong answer as to what it's fundamentally about. For me, I see it as many things, but one that I think of often is that it is a metaphor for suicide.
Getting a little too personal on here, but I've struggled with suicidal thoughts and ideation plenty in the past. One thing that I think people who haven't experienced it don't understand is how you try to make up as many reasons as possible to go through with it and to avoid the guilt. I think that Frank is the personification of one of Donnie's made-up justifications for his eventual death at the end of the movie.
I also believe that the acts Donnie commits are part of him making up reasons. He attempts to make himself a bad person so he subconsciously thinks that his death is deserved and "for the greater good". Frank, as the main made-up reason, encourages this, and it acts as a metaphor for intrusive thoughts to further push Donnie over the edge.
Serious topics aside, it's also a very funny movie, but they're able to mix comedy and psychological horror in a good way. The soundtrack and original score are also something I deeply appreciate, and I actually listen to both quite often. I think it does a good job of representing 80s culture and the stigma around mental health at the time, but at the same time being on the cusp of future understanding.
That's all I have for now, but Donnie Darko is one of my favorite movies of all time.