Donnie Darko (2001): trapped within the mind’s confines
Though Halloween has passed, this time of year allows one to reflect alongside the changing of seasons, on their favorite movie night-worthy films, whether they be niche thrillers or the latest horror films. So, I thought it best to indulge you with something near and dear to me: Donnie Darko (2001), written and directed by Richard Kelly. It follows the titular character, 15-year-old Donnie (played by Jake Gyllenhaal), as he tries to cope with the revelation that the world will end in “28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes, and 12 seconds” on Halloween morning: Oct. 31, 2001. This seemingly divine revelation from a man named Frank in a bunny costume sends Donnie on a series of escapades, like burning down a house and acquiring his father’s firearm, as all the pieces eventually fall into place, and answers become clear to Donnie.
This article will not act as a comprehensive breakdown of this exquisite film (you just need to watch it) but will discuss the true intent and allegory unfolding through the film and the tragedy of Donnie’s character. It is something the film tells us explicitly at its start but is overshadowed due to the insanity taking place on screen: Donnie Darko is not an ethereal being who is hand-selected to be the martyr for all of humanity; he is a boy suffering from the side effects of being heavily medicated, and most events within the film are his paranoid delusions.
Now, on paper, this detail may seem incredibly obvious, but in execution—kudos to Kelly for his astounding work here—you tend to look over these few lines due to the sheer insanity happening on screen; I have seen this film seven times now, and it took me three watches to catch onto this being a possibility. Everything that happens throughout the movie hooks you in and refuses to let go, taking you along for the ride while sprinkling in some faint but reasonable explanation to make you feed further into the delusions unfolding on screen.
When it comes to medication, though never explicitly stated, it can be assumed he is prescribed behavioral stabilizers, like an antidepressant, to deal with what seems to be intense anger issues. This medicine causes Donnie to see things that aren’t there and sleepwalk to various locations, two things that have become normalized; nothing is done to stop them except dumping him onto a therapist prescribing him the medication. The first dinner scene encapsulates this best; Donnie says to his sister: “Maybe you should be the one in therapy, then Mom and Dad can pay someone two hundred dollars an hour to listen to all of your thoughts… so we won't have to.”
Within a few short scenes, the film seamlessly demonstrates what is occurring in this broken family’s home: Donnie is the medicated problem child whose parents wish his medication would make him “normal,” like his two sisters, who seem to excel at all they do, because of this the parents focus their attention on the two promising children, leaving Donnie to deal with his therapist.
Donnie, like many children, is forced onto medications by his parents, hoping that it will be a quick fix to an issue most likely stemming from incompetence in his parents when it comes to supporting his needs—further shown when the therapist’s notes go unnoticed. Every character in the Darko Family is a peripheral player, seldom interacting directly with Donnie, knowing he is “off” because of his medication, and the story illustrates that perfectly by not fleshing a single one out—they have little impact on Donnie’s actual life. Donnie is a warning tale for the dangers of medicating a child rather than trying to help them work through an issue (though this should not be taken as a blanket statement, excluding instances like Donnie’s).
You are not your medication, nor does it define who you are. Donnie’s family dumped him into a therapist and refused to cooperate, hoping the mix of therapeutic statements and prescribed medication could fix their “off” son. Just because you are experiencing mental unrest and distress doesn’t mean there will be a one-hit, fix-all method to your issues: a tragic reality that this movie criticizes. Even so, it illustrates perfectly that due to his medication, Donnie is forced down a “predestined” path, which he has no control over, trying to find his way in a world that seems to only want the worst for him.
Donnie Darko (2001) is a wild and unanticipated story filled with warnings about the dangers of mistreated mental health in the young. That’s just my interpretation; you should watch this film for yourself and come to your own conclusions. You can stream this masterpiece on YouTube or Tubi for free right now, so go do it!