Donnie Darko Analysis

Donnie Darko has always been one of my favorite films, and its sheer originality has inspired many of my own screenplays. It is considered a cult classic and has been the subject of critical acclaim, as well as being widely renowned as an incredible piece of intellectual and thoughtful work. The film’s unique use of form affects and alters its content greatly, and it’s a big part of why the movie is so fantastic. Donnie Darko very firmly centers around the conflicting themes of the real and the fantastic, often making the line between them very difficult to define. At many points in the film, the narrative will shift between Donnie’s “real” life and his fantastic thoughts. The premise of the story is already strange in itself, however the way in which the content is presented adds much more to it. The narrative makes it difficult for the viewer to discern what is real and what is not throughout the movie, and even the ending flips our view of the plot altogether. The lightning, cinematography, narrative, and the film’s use of time are important components to the shifting realistic and fantastic views of the movie, and they affect the content greatly as well as helping to further the meaning of the film. The lighting used in most of the film is very contrasting to each other. In Donnie’s “real” life when he is in control, the lighting is bright and natural, conveying the feeling of normalcy. When the narrative delves into his more disturbed moments, the lighting becomes darker and heavier, complimenting the troubling mentality of Donnie in
I am always inspired by its originality and innovative narrative, and the film’s form to express its central meaning on the screen is incredibly inventive. Formal and informal elements play big roles in Donnie Darko, and the impact that they have on its form is what makes it truly