Donnie Darko, director's cut

A series of straw dogs, a world in which the adults are clichés, more appropriate to Fast Times at Ridgemenont High or American Pie than a movie that believes in itself as much as Darko appears to; a film that hides its shaky philosophy in post modernism, the idea that if you reference enough, everything will seem to add up, the worst case scenario of a society in which information is easily available, these scratch the surface understandings of things that need to be studied. This is an 80’s film that works best not as the film, but as the “Mad World” video available on the first disc; a film like those of JT xx that is a better soundtrack. Proof positive that Drew Berryman really can’t act; either that, or she is under directed. And yet, a film not devoid of charm, alternately watchable and unwatchable. Whereas Napoleon Dynamite doesn’t mind feeling like it was made by a kid, this film tries to hide it, but unsuccessfully, behind all that cleverness appropriate to sophomore coffee table discussions. Want teen angst with a real edge, watch Heaters. Want a movie that acts as a puzzle with its own built in clues, Watch Greenaway, watch Lynch. Want something with interesting visuals, an excellent rabbit, and a lot of pop metaphysics? Donnie is for you.