Donnie Darko

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Donnie Darko

R

2001

1h 53m

Drama

Sci-Fi

Fantasy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

88%

Tomatometer

125 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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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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Justin Chang

Los Angeles Times

Mar 31, 2017

The movie feels perfectly timed to coincide with our nation's latest flirtation with the apocalypse.

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Tara Brady

Irish Times

Jan 10, 2017

5/5

Donnie Darko rightly made a star of Gyllenhaal.

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Nigel Andrews

Financial Times

Dec 29, 2016

The script makes variable sense, but so does life.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Mar 22, 2026

3.5/4

Like Being John Malkovich and 2001: A Space Odyssey and too few others, this is one of those mind-melting cinematic achievements.

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Paul Kanieski

KSQD Community Radio

Jul 21, 2023

Jake Gyllenhaal, with an impish grin that exudes boyish charm, gives a breakout performance as Donnie Darko.

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Erick Estrada

Cinegarage

Mar 29, 2023

One of the best homages to Back to the Future. [Full review in Spanish]

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Jason F

3 days ago

One of my all time favorites.

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emmy

Oct 11, 2026

genuinely awesome. third time watching this and it was just incredible to see it in theaters.

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Sean

Oct 5, 2026

Still an awesome movie!

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MyOpinionMeansZilch

Oct 5, 2026

Movie itself is 5 STARS but the picture was so dark in the theater it was hard to see what was on the screen at times. Disappointed.

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Elyana

Oct 5, 2026

My favorite movie ever!!! The directors commentary at the beginning was cool and really interesting as well.

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Alexander Scott

Oct 5, 2026

One of the most thematically rich and layered films ever made by a first time director, perhaps even of all time. It's at once comfortable in it's familiar setting and satire, and yet in a dark cosmology totally of it's own. People will be "peeling back the layers" and "dissecting the themes" out of equal parts love and obsession for as long as it persists in the public consciousness, and creatives will be influenced and affected by it's reach well beyond even that. It's no wonder it gained such a massive cult following, and it's clear that it's not going away any time soon, for good reason. This film has got IT.

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Richard Kelly

Director

Jake Gyllenhaal

Donnie Darko

Jena Malone

Gretchen Ross

Drew Barrymore

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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): Oct 2, 2026
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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