You Can’t Stop What’s Coming…

The COEN BROTHERS adapted Cormac McCarthy’s novel into this film of the same name.  After writing No Country in 2005, the 75 year old McCarthy has won a Pulitzer Prize for his novel “The Road” in 2006, once again exploring his familiar themes of extreme isolation, perversity, and violence to represent normal human experience. The novel’s motifs of chance, free-will, and predestination are familiar territory for the Coen brothers, and the film subsequently won the Academy Award for Best Picture in early 2008. With so many prizes surrounding these themes and creators, it is fascinating to explore why these works have had such an unstoppable impact on our culture.

“It’s been traveling twenty-two years to get here. And now it’s here. And it’s either heads or tails. And you have to say. Call it.” – Anton Chigurh

by Pastor James Harleman

No Country for Old Men (2007)

Violence and mayhem ensue after a hunter stumbles upon some dead bodies, a stash of heroin and more than $2 million in cash near the Rio Grande.

Directors: 

Ethan Coen, Joel Coen

Writers: 

Joel Coen (screenplay), Ethan Coen (screenplay),and 1 more credit »

Stars:

 Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem and Josh Brolin

Storyline

In rural Texas, welder and hunter Llewelyn Moss discovers the remains of several drug runners who have all killed each other in an exchange gone violently wrong. Rather than report the discovery to the police, Moss decides to simply take the two million dollars present for himself. This puts the psychopathic killer, Anton Chigurh, on his trail as he dispassionately murders nearly every rival, bystander and even employer in his pursuit of his quarry and the money. As Moss desperately attempts to keep one step ahead, the blood from this hunt begins to flow behind him with relentlessly growing intensity as Chigurh closes in. Meanwhile, the laconic Sherrif Ed Tom Bell blithely oversees the investigation even as he struggles to face the sheer enormity of the crimes he is attempting to thwart.Written by Kenneth Chisholm (kchishol@rogers.com)  

Taglines:

 There are no laws left. See more »

Box Office

Budget:

 $25,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

 $1,226,333 (USA) (11 November 2007) (28 Screens)

Gross:

 $74,273,505 (USA) (6 April 2008)

User Reviews

 

Simply spectacular

29 October 2007 | by fluffyrona (United Kingdom) – See all my reviews

If you like films that literally take your breath away, then this goes to the top of the list.

As stated elsewhere, Javier Bardem is so spectacularly evil and menacing that, if I were Mrs Bardem, I'd be worried about him coming home at night. The man exuded controlled evil, and I found myself not breathing when he came onto screen, yet couldn't take my eyes from him - a truly mesmerising presence.

Tommy Lee Jones turns in a belter of a performance, and mention should also be made of Kelly MacDonald who nails a faultless Texan accent alongside a multi-layered performance (despite the paucity of her screen time).

Beautifully shot, as you would expect, and with some (welcome) moments of humour amongst the gore, this is a very very fine film. Miss it at your peril, because when those little golden men are being handed out next year in LA, I predict a lot of them will be going to this film. A belter.

Next class...No Country for Old Men (3/9)!

No Country for Old Men is a 2007 American crime thriller directed by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, and starring Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, and Josh Brolin. The film was adapted from the Cormac McCarthy novel of the same name.^[1][2] No Country for Old Men tells the story of an ordinary man to whom chance delivers a fortune that is not his, and the ensuing cat-and-mouse drama, as three men crisscross each other's paths in the desert landscape of 1980 West Texas.^[3] Themes of fate, conscience and circumstance re-emerge that the Coen brothers have previously explored in Blood Simple and Fargo.

No Country for Old Men garnered numerous awards, including the Academy Award for Best Picture and Best Director, to go with threeBritish Academy of Film awards, two Golden Globes, and two additional Academy Awards. Critics praised it highly. Roger Ebert of theChicago Sun-Times called it "as good a film as the Coen brothers...have ever made."^[4] The Guardian journalist John Patterson said the film proved "that the Coens' technical abilities, and their feel for a landscape-based Western classicism reminiscent of Anthony Mann andSam Peckinpah, are matched by few living directors."^[5]

Donnie Darko

In Donnie Darko, a 2001 American science fiction psychological drama film written and directed by Richard Kelly, a troubled adolescent receives a disturbing vision that the world will end in 28 days. With the help of various characters, including a 6 foot rabbit called Frank, he slowly discovers the mysterious physical and metaphysical laws that govern his life and that will lead up to the destruction of the universe.  Inverting and warping themes present in classics such as “It’s a Wonderful Life”, and “Alice in Wonderland”, Kelley’s dark movie offers meaning in destiny and death , rather than choice and life.  Donnie Darko stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore, Patrick Swayze, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Noah Wyle, and Jena Malone.  Budgeted with $4.5 million, and filmed over the course of 28 days (the actual span of the movie) the film missed breaking even at the box office, grossing just over $4.1 million worldwide.  Since then, the film has received favorable reviews from critics and has developed a large cult following.

Theme: Love, Fear, and Destiny

In Chapter 12, “Grandma Death’s Book,” we find Donnie Darko, a possible teenage schizophrenic, in a counseling session with his psychiatrist.  Donnie is recounting his run-in with Roberta Sparrow, “Grandma Death”, a 101-yr-old recluse who wrote a mysterious book on time travel, which Donnie is now reading.  After almost hitting her on the road, Donnie helps Ms. Sparrow to her mailbox, where Sparrow whispers to Donnie, “Every living creature on Earth dies alone”.  Recounting this story to his psychiatrist, we see Donnie’s biggest fear; the search for God is absurd, if everyone dies alone.  When asked if this thought scares him, Donnie tearfully replies, “I don’t want to be alone.”  As believers, we know that we are never alone, for our God is our fortress, especially in times of need.

Psalm 91:1-2, 14-15

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress,

my God, in whom I trust.”

“Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;

I will protect him, because he knows my name.

When he calls to me, I will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble;

I will rescue him and honor him.

In Chapter 16, “Space and Time,” Donne stays after class to ask more questions about the science of time travel.  In a previous scene, Donnie was able to see the future paths of his family as they moved about the house, like spears coming from their chests.  Donnie comes to a remarkable conclusion: “If God decides time, then all time is pre-decided.  Every living thing follows along a set path.  If you could see your path or channel, you could see into the future”.  A glimmer of hope is exposed in Donnie, as if his argument is true, and God really does control his “channel”, then he wouldn’t die alone.  As Christians, we are thankful for a God who is intimately aware and involved in our world, for our peace is derived from our faith in the wisdom and love of an all-powerful and all knowing God who is sovereign over His creation.

Ephesians 1:7-11

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,

Acts 17:26-27

And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find Him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us

In Chapter 23, “Open Sky”, Donnie is again in his psychiatrist office, this time under hypnosis.  We find that Donnie is experiencing a great deal of regret for his destructive actions.  Donnie seems hopeless in service to Frank, the demonic bunny, who Donnie credits with saving his life, but who continues to push Donnie to evil.  Donnie is afraid that if he doesn’t obey Frank, whom Donnie has latched on to for meaning, he will be alone.  His doctor explains to him that when he dies, all he will have to credit his life will be his works on Earth.  We see the despair of a boy who has latched on to the wrong god for service and purpose.  His quest for meaning has resulted in more pain and fear then ever before.  A move outside of “God’s channel” causes a slow, painful death, as the gods we choose to worship betray us and leave us dying for a true savior.

Romans 6:16

Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?

In Chapter 27, “A Storm is Coming”, we find Donnie at the bottom of the barrel: his girlfriend is dead, he’s killed an innocent man, and his mom and sister are about to die on an airplane, on which they would not have been if Donnie hadn’t burned down Cunningham’s house, all the result of serving the demonic bunny.  Donnie’s world is ending, just as he was foretold. In the midst of this utter darkness, Donnie receives a very challenging but ultimately glorious revelation: his path within “God’s channel” was for him to have died when the jet engine crashed into his house.  We then find Donnie back in his room 28 days before.  Was it all a prophetic dream, a mad delusion, or did Donnie really travel back in time?  We find Donnie happy and giggling for the first time in the whole movie, knowing that he was about to die, but, that since God does exist, he was not dying alone.  Believers in Christ similarly should have no fear of death, but peace in a loving God who directs our paths.

Romans 8:28-30, 35-39

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;

we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Interpretations

"...what if you could go back in time, and take all those hours of pain and darkness and replace them with something better?"

---

Many people I've encountered seem content to take Donnie Darko (2001) at face value, appreciating its artistic value, but no one else seemed willing to admit that they may've felt like there was a cohesiveness to the plot that felt just out of reach. I went in pursuit of answers, starting withwww.donniedarko.com. The Web site is presented as a series of puzzles for visitors. Without too much effort, you can acquire a copy of Roberta Sparrow's manuscript, "The Philosophy of Time Travel". It's only about 1000 words and can also be found on the DVD. I was very excited to discover that there is indeed a back story to the movie, elucidated mostly by Sparrow's book. Allow me to share my interpretations, coupled with my own opinions about the story's meaning. Many of the following ideas are my own conjectures and accordingly, are subjective. These are just my interpretations, though I think this page should be enlightening to fans of the movie.

---

Recall that during his talk with Dr. Monotoff (Noah Wyle's character) they discuss the formation of wormholes in space-time. They can form at complete random, and the only "artifacts" that can move through wormholes without being destroyed are metal vessels of some sort (such as a jet engine...). As Sparrow describes it, "The Fourth Dimension of Time is a stable construct, though it is not impenetrable." The wormholes form as a result of this marginal instability. Bear in mind that time is just another dimension by which the universe is measured, and it is not mere philosophical fantasy to talk about it being manipulated like any other dimension (consider the observed case of time passing more slowly for one object with movement relative to another object--inconsistencies exist that are difficult to understand).

On October 2nd, 1988, an artifact from out of nowhere landed in what Sparrow calls the "Primary Universe"--life as we know it. The origin of this artifact, the jet engine, is a "Tangent Universe", created when the jet engine blew through the wormhole and into a day that had already happened, October 2nd. The artifact marks the arrival of the Tangent Universe. If you've been observant you'd realize that this introduces paradox--the Tangent Universe from which the jet engine came did not exist until the jet engine exited its domain via the wormhole, hmm. These paradoxes are inevitable when dealing with time travel. They don't fully discount the possibility of time travel, they just mystify it beyond any sort of simple comprehension. I find that it's easier to visualize the two universes if you imagine the Tangent Universe actually "happening first". After 28 days of a turbulent existence, the Tangent is erased when the story jumps back to October 2nd in the stable Primary Universe (of course, this is just a model for visualization, these universes existed concurrently).

The instability of the the Tangent Universe meant it would collapse within weeks, destroying all existence with it (as Sparrow explains). Ultimately, Donnie Darko closed the wormhole by ensuring the artifact's passage through it, back to the Primary Universe (which would seem to be the "second" time it happened, but again, time travel presents paradoxes). In doing so, the jet engine was sent back hurdling toward the Darkos' house, except this time Donnie knew it was coming. Donnie just smiled, because he knew that he had restored the world to its proper state, and in doing so, saved Gretchen, his mother, and his sister (an airplaine missing an engine doesn't stay in the air too long). Donnie was only able to find the courage to accept death because he knew he wasn't dying alone. By his brief but profound relationship with Gretchen, Donnie overcomes his fear of dying alone. Recall the dichotomy of fear/love theme (complemented by the Primary/Tangent dichotomy) that was r einforced by the role of self-help guru, Jim Cunningham, throughout the film. Donnie fights this battle and ultimately overcomes his fear by finding love in Gretchen. In the end, Donnie not only saved those closed to him, but the world and all of existence. It appears that in some way he understood all of this. More light will be shed on why shortly.

Gretchen: "Donnie Darko? What the hell kind of name is that? It's like some sort of superhero or something." This was a bit of a foreshadowing. The Philosophy of Time Travel makes it clear that this movie is more than just a strange journey for one boy; it's a story of heroism and even martyrdom. Was it necessary for Donnie to die? It could be argued that Donnie could've avoided the jet engine to save his own life and still have ensured the stability of the Primary Universe, as The Philosophy of Time Travel would suggest. I suspect it just made for a better story and a better hero if Donnie were to die. Seeing Gretchen asking about who died is pretty mindblowing, afterall. It also makes it very clear to the viewer that setting is an entirely new branch of space-time.)

But why did Donnie contain the sole power to "save the world"? This question is actually answered in detail in Sparrow's book. Donnie was the closest to the artifact when it came through the wormhole. This means he must become "The Living Receiver", whose mission is to guide the artifact back to the Primary Universe. Being the Living Receiver affords Donnie a few actual "super powers", including "strength, telekinesis, mind control, and the ability to conjure fire and water", according to the book. In the case of strength, consider that he wedged an axe into a bronze statue. As for water, his mind seemed to set off the sprinklers at Cunningham's house upon finding the wallet out front. This could be considered a foreshadowing of his torching of the house, perhaps even ironic (fire/water).

Without knowing it, Donnie is being guided by invisible forces that are willing him through his mission to restore the artifact to the Primary Universe. The book also describes people known as "The Manipulated Living" that are unknowningly aiding the Living Receiver in his task. The Manipulated Living are those that were near Donnie and the wormhole when the artifact appeared. Like Donnie, they are under the control of an indetectable force (as if the Universe was willing itself back to normal, or perhaps it was the will of God?) All people, living and dead, that were in the proximity of the wormhole become unknowingly adherent to a predestiny that will restore the Primary Universe. In this sense, I think that Donnie only becomes a true hero when he dies upon returning to the Primary Universe, because all time spent in the Tangent Universe seems to be without true free will, acting under the spell of being the Living Receiver (if we take Sparrow's words to be factual).

Also affected by the Tangent Universe are "The Manipulated Dead". These people are said to be more powerful than the receiver himself, but can only manifest themselves in water. Anyone that dies in the Tangent Universe can contact the Living Receiver. Their motivation is to guide the Living Receiver in his task, because they aim to escape their oblivion (which will be finalized if the receiver fails). The mysterious liquid that seemed to pull people about can be explained as the presence of the Manipulated Dead, provoking Donnie and others around him to follow the path that ultimately will lead to the restoral of the artifact. It's an infinitely complex series of causes and effects that carry Donnie through the 28 days, but somehow all of the manipulated persons carry some innate, subconscious understanding of it, and facilitate that exact sequence of actions that will allow restoration of the Primary Universe. Clear large-scale examples of these causes and effects can be observed throughout the movie, such as Frank telling Donnie to burn down Jim's house, which ultimately causes his mother and sister to ultimately get on the plane that would fly into the wormhole and return the artifact.

As for Frank, he is indeed a hallucination of Donnie's. The Living Receiver is "tormented" by such hallucinations, according to The Philosophy of Time Travel. Frank represents a manifestation of the invisible impetus that is pulling Donnie along his path toward restoring the Universe. This is all made more intriguing given that we know Donnie Darko is schizophrenic. Furthermore, in the DVD's deleted scenes you can discover that the psychiatrist was only giving Donnie placebos, so Donnie was at the mercy of his condition during the story. This introduces an array of new possibilities, such as the scenario in which the entire movie is only some vivid hallucination of an intensely troubled individual. I think that it's more exciting to try to discern what Donnie's actually experiencing, knowing that he is both schizophrenic and under the influence of some sort of cosmic spell. Another scenario would be that Donnie's not schizophrenic at all, because that diagnosis is only made within the Tangent Universe (when Donnie has revealed his hallucinations about Frank). I don't suspect this is the case, because when Dr. Thurman asks about Donnie's new friend, she prefaces it with "Real or imaginary?". This would suggest Donnie was pretty mentally disturbed prior to October 2nd.

At the end of Sparrow's manuscript, she describes the effects after the restoration of the Primary Universe on those that were among the manipulated. Most don't retain any knowledge of it. When they do, they suffer immense pain and sometimes regret from the events. On donniedarko.com, you can discover in an epilogue revealing that Jim Cunningham commits suicide 10 days later, which seems only logical if he somehow retained some of the events of the Tangent Universe (he didn't kill himself in the Tangent Universe, so what other cause could their have been?) Furthermore, the story says that nothing was found in his house, regarding the children's pornography. These seem to be strong clues supporting the fact that the manipulated living retain at least some level of subconscious knowledge of their tangent existence in the alternate universe. In Jim's case, he was consumed with so much shame and guilt, he took his life

Not to be overlooked, are the emotional themes throughout the movie. As mentioned, themes of fear and love compete throughout the movie. Toward the end of the film there is an interlude during which "Mad World" by Gary Jules plays, a very somber piece. I think this part is a strong reminder that this film is about more than a bizarre time travel story. It really casts light onto the human experience and just how much so many of us suffer but just continue to go through the motions of our every-day lives. "All around me are familiar places, worn out faces" - this line from the song seems a perfect account of life in the Tangent Universe. "I find it kinda funny, I find it kinda sad, the dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had." - this certainly seems like something Donnie Darko would say, doesn't it? "The tears are filling up their glasses, no expression, no expression at all." Wow, that just makes me want to run out and buy balloons or something festive....

In summary, the movie accounts a natural phenomenon, a wormhole and the formation of a parallel universe, through the eyes of the most signifcantly affected human figure involved, Donnie Darko. By virtue of some sort of cosmic law, Donnie is set into motion on a path to restore the extremely fragic, turbulent Tangent Universe back to the normal Primary Universe. The strongest actor in Donnie's life is "frank", a hallucination that has come into existence (in Donnie's mind) to aid Donnie in his task. Through the eyes of (an assumed) schizophrenic, we can never really know for sure what Donnie experienced during those 28 days. What we know with confidence is that during his tenure as the Living Receiver, Donnie finally overcame his fears of death and loneliness, finding love in Gretchen. In his death, Donnie finally found peace. In his own words,


"I hope that when the world comes to an end, I can breathe a sigh of relief, because there will be so much to look forward to." 

Donnie Darko - Mad World

Director's Cut

As both consumers and people in general we’re very picky. We’re also very prone to stereotypes and to making neat little boxes in which to place our ideas and ideologies. This outlook impacts our attitudes towards everything, from the way we entertain ourselves to the way we interact with politics to the way we worship God and relate to our spiritual communities. 

There are TV shows to avoid, bands to heap scorn upon and offending businesses to boycott. This attitude finds its way into our multiplexes as well. We like our movies to be packaged in neat, 90-minute boxes wrapped with colorful, paint-by-numbers plot ribbons. We like our stories perfectly resolved, our heroes and villains clearly defined, our tone happy, our genres segregated and we’d prefer it if we didn’t have to think too much. Writer/director Richard Kelly’s film Donnie Darko was, and is, none of these things. That’s probably one of the reasons the film tanked at the box office when originally released. It also didn’t help that this clever genre-hybrid of a film was released in a post-Sept. 11 climate that A) was much more interested in what was happening on CNN than at a movie theater and B) didn’t care too much for jets crashing into buildings. Understandable

Well, like Eminem’s alter ego Slim Shady, Darko’s back again. And hopefully this time it will get a fair shake.

Starring Jake Gyllenhaal as Donnie Darko—a troubled teenager who sees hallucinations of a six-foot tall demonic rabbit named Frank—this film has more meat to it than a porterhouse. After a jet engine mysteriously lands in the family living room in the middle of the night, Frank shows Donnie a series of visions leading him to believe the world will end in 28 days. It’s Donnie’s job to save the world. To say much more would be cheating the story, but the result is a beautifully muddled mess combining elements of comedy, mystery, science fiction, horror, social satire, romance and ’80s feel. 

At times Darko is a head-trip, as you try to wrap your brain around time travel and alternate realities. It’s also true that the new footage doesn’t add a whole lot to the film (most of it was included as deleted scenes on the DVD release). But with an all-star cast including Jena Malone, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore, ER’s Noah Wyle, and Patrick Swayze, this is one of the best, most meaningful films you’ve never seen. Period.

DONNIE DARKO: in God’s channel (pt 2)

“It was as if the plan had been with him all his life…” – Karen Pomeroy, from Donnie Darko (2001)

Spoilers Ahead: for the first part of the Donnie Darko review, click here.

By the end of this spectacularly crafted film, the young Donnie Darko understands what his death will avert, and it is clear that he (and everyone else) is part of a grand design. Donnie would like to know that he’s not alone in the universe, but also realizes he can search and search but never find what we typically consider to be “proof”. This is the frustrated position of the agnostic, who concludes he can never know and thus gives up the debate. Unlike other religions, Christianity teaches that God can be known because He initiates with us, intersecting our lives. Without this, we truly would never find him; He reveals Himself to us, calls us, and saves us according to His pleasure.

Embodied by the frightening, angelic Frank, the god in Kelly’s film allows Donnie to experience the transcendent and get a glimpse “behind the curtain”. Not only does he realize the design and masterful intricacies of the universe – that a Sovereign Overseer orchestrates all events throughout time to lead to His desired conclusions – but also that, in this revelation, Donnie has purpose and worth, even in death. The Fibinachi Spiral represents design in nature; it implies that the fabric of our reality has a design, (and, logically, a designer). Frank allows Donnie to see in part as God sees in full –“in God’s channel” – experiencing foreknowledge and seeing predestined actions moving toward foretold events.

Donnie seems comforted, perhaps elated, that he will not die alone. God has been revealed. Though I might not believe the true God of our universe reveals himself by this particular method, the film still makes an excellent case for God’s sovereignty, predestination, and the comfort that can be derived from it.

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, who have been called according to his purpose.” – Romans 8:28

Foreknowledge refers to God’s intimate knowledge of events and His people (Acts 2:23, Romans 11:2, 1 Peter 1:2, 1:20). Predestination literally means “to mark out beforehand” (Acts 4:28, 1 Corinthians 2:7, Ephesians 1:5,11). There is much critique of these ideas, even by Christians who would deny these realities in spite of undeniable scripture references. The obligatory criticism is not new to our day and age; it was around in the first century and anticipated by Paul in the book of Romans:

“One of you will say to me: ‘Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?’ But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, ‘why did you make me like this?’… What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath- prepared for destruction? What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory…?” – Romans 9

God speaks to Christians about his choice to adopt people into His kingdom before they existed:

“In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will…”– Ephesians 1

Christians curl up in bed and sleep the contented sleep of Donnie Darko, knowing that whatever awaits us in this life is according to a good God’s will. While the world is not perfect, and we are responsible to play our part in the beautiful screenplay, things will work out according to His holy purpose… into which we’re lovingly sculpted, crafted, and allowed a participatory portion in His grand story. In the film’s commentary, director Richard Kelly described his inclination to tell this story as a strange, obsessive fascination with the subject of predestination, and I believe Kelly was inclined to do a masterful job. I’d love to thank him, and engage him in discussion to see where he’s at with these ideas in his own life.

However, I thank God even more… that He is the ultimate Storyteller, and my part in the story is in the hands of an infinitely greater Master.

-

James Harleman

Flashback to DONNIE DARKO

“28 days… 6 hours… 42 minutes… 12 seconds. That is when the world will end.” – Donnie Darko (2001)

Writer/Director Richard Kelly uses various techniques to capture not only the spirit of the late 80s, but also the spirit of late 80s filmmaking in the eerie Donnie Darko. Co-produced by Drew Barrymore (who also plays a pivotal role in the film), it remains one of my favorite performances by Jake Gyllenhaal. With a tremendous soundtrack, this movie shot in just 28 days (exactly the time span of the movie’s story) and on a shoestring budget of only $5 million, it is a fascinatingly creepy study of death, fear, destiny, and God. It’s worth seeing, worth owning, and worth viewing with friends.

Donnie seems like a typical, troubled high school student, dealing with bullies and girls and family… but he also has blackouts, and sees a freakish messenger in a demented rabbit suit. The film quickly pulls back a layer of the material world and in grandTwilight Zone fashion, we realize something else is going on behind what we consider “reality”.

Frank (angelic messenger or demon bunny) pulls a presumably mentally troubled Donnie out of bed one night, and we shortly realize that if he hadn’t left his room, Donnie would have died in a freak accident. Subsequently, we experience a world in which Donnie lived through the event due to seemingly inexplicable, miraculous intervention. Like a warped revisioning of It’s a Wonderful Life, Donnie sees what life is like since he survived… and is used and guided in various ways that begin to have dire consequences. Although intentionally vague and understated, it’s a provocative film that can evoke rich discussion and endure multiple viewings.

The film provides scathing commentary on the shallow culture of self-help and the “gurus” of this genre, played with sickening efficiency by the late Patrick Swayze; it also jabs at the legalistic, Christian culture of Jesus T-shirts and judgementalism. As Donnie looks to the world for answers… his high school teachers, a counselor, and the ramblings of an allegedly addled woman, he finds himself in a mad world, desperate to know there is something comforting, something transcendent over it. He cries out, wanting to know he’s not alone, yet his public school teacher (played byNoah Wylie) can’t continue the conversation when the philosophy turns even slightly toward God.

Fixated on the Fibonacci spiral, Donnie’s other-wordly education helps him see a connectivity inherent in all things… a world in which every detail is charted, planned, predestined… it leaves the viewer wondering if it’s fair that Donnie – or we – may be “manipulated” in such a fashion. It’s the double-edged sword of being enamored with “destiny” yet not wanting to believe our lives are “predestined”. We want things to be destined when it suits us, yet simultaneously want freedom to chart our course. So… are we angry, confused, or comforted by an overseeing force that may be in every detail of our world and our experience, involved on every level yet transcendent over it in mastery… someone or something who knows the beginning, end, and everything in between?

“If God controls time, then all time is predecided…” – Donnie

Donnie finds himself stumbling through a tragic world wherein he survived death by this supernatural aid. As a result, the film is set in a temporary world which the director refers to as the “tangent universe” where things are out of order. Donnie is able to act out his darkest desires and fantasies, but at a price. Everything he does has a consequence, as the causal chain put in effect by his survival impacts nearly every character in the film. Although some of his subsequent actions are prompted by the mysterious messenger, Donnie feels a responsibility to set things right.

Beautifully complex yet simple in style, Donnie Darko is a cinema treasure. I highly recommend seeing the film with friends, realizing it leaves much unspoken and you must spend hours debriefing what is intentionally between the lines. As I can’t discuss the ultimate themes and narrative notes without obvious spoilers, we’ll look at those in the next post.

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James Harleman