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Donnie Darko

Play trailer 1:35 Poster for Donnie Darko R Released Oct 26, 2001 1h 53m Drama Sci-Fi Fantasy Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
88% Tomatometer 124 Reviews 80% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
In a funny, moving and distinctly mind-bending journey through suburban America, one extraordinary but disenchanted teenager is about to take Time's Arrow for a ride. After surviving a freak accident, Donnie (Jake Gyllenhaal) begins to explore what it means to be alive, and in short order to be in love, he uncovers secrets of the universe that give him a tempting power to alter time and destiny.
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Donnie Darko

Donnie Darko

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Critics Consensus

Richard Kelly's debut feature Donnie Darko is a daring, original vision, packed with jarring ideas and intelligence and featuring a remarkable performance from Jake Gyllenhaal as the troubled title character.

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Critics Reviews

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Justin Chang Los Angeles Times The movie feels perfectly timed to coincide with our nation's latest flirtation with the apocalypse. Mar 31, 2017 Full Review Tara Brady Irish Times Donnie Darko rightly made a star of Gyllenhaal. Rated: 5/5 Jan 10, 2017 Full Review Nigel Andrews Financial Times The script makes variable sense, but so does life. Dec 29, 2016 Full Review Paul Kanieski KSQD Community Radio Jake Gyllenhaal, with an impish grin that exudes boyish charm, gives a breakout performance as Donnie Darko. Jul 21, 2023 Full Review Erick Estrada Cinegarage One of the best homages to Back to the Future. [Full review in Spanish] Mar 29, 2023 Full Review Stephen Silver Tilt Magazine Rewatching it now it's shocking how much it anticipated about life today. (20th anniversary) Rated: 4/5 Oct 29, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Logan Bushaw MORE RE-RELEASES PLEASE Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/27/25 Full Review rylee i love this movie so much. 🤍 Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/23/25 Full Review john h A strange, unusual film that encompasses peculiarly relatable personalities and fascinating after-thoughts on the ambiguity and confusion it embraces. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/05/25 Full Review Desmond S One of my favorite films ever alongside with “Willy’s wonderland” Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 05/25/25 Full Review nick s Jake Gyllanhaal was perfectly cast in this peculiar movie. The cinematography was great and the pacing was good. However, the story for me felt a bit meandering in the first half and it was only Jake's compelling acting that kept me watching. Lots of characters that didn't really contribute to the plot. The ending wasn't satisfying either. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 05/19/25 Full Review Tom F The director’s cut is the best kind of weirdness. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 05/02/25 Full Review Read all reviews
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Cast & Crew

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Richard Kelly

Director

Jake Gyllenhaal

Donnie Darko

Jena Malone

Gretchen Ross

Drew Barrymore

Ms. Karen Pomeroy

James Duval

Frank

Maggie Gyllenhaal

Elizabeth Darko

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Donnie Darko

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Donnie Darko

A scene from the film "Donnie Darko." A scene from the film "Donnie Darko." A scene from the film "Donnie Darko." View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis In a funny, moving and distinctly mind-bending journey through suburban America, one extraordinary but disenchanted teenager is about to take Time's Arrow for a ride. After surviving a freak accident, Donnie (Jake Gyllenhaal) begins to explore what it means to be alive, and in short order to be in love, he uncovers secrets of the universe that give him a tempting power to alter time and destiny.
Director
Richard Kelly
Producer
Sean McKittrick, Nancy Juvonen
Screenwriter
Richard Kelly
Distributor
Newmarket Film Group
Production Co
Adam Fields Productions, Flower Films, Pandora Cinema, Gaylord Films
Rating
R (Some Drug Use|Language|Violence)
Genre
Drama, Sci-Fi, Fantasy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 26, 2001, Wide
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Mar 31, 2017
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 25, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$205.8K
Runtime
1h 53m
Sound Mix
Dolby Digital, Dolby SR, Surround, Dolby Stereo, Dolby A
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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