Journal WannaBeGeekGirl's Journal: "Donnie Darko" disturbing?!? 5
Major Plot SPOILERS for Donnie Darko you have been warned.
I seem to be the only one I've met that finds the movie Donnie Darko not disturbing. In fact, I found parts of it incredibly insightful, comforting and heartwarming.
My friends, those of my age and younger/older look at me as if I'm a lost cause when I tell them this. I first watched the film with my father, because so many people warned me that I was so sensitive due to my severe depression that it would upset me too much.
But, one night my dad and I rented it and watched it. He was very disturbed by it and won't even talk about it. When I make reference to Frank and try to explain why I find it comforting my father asks me to stop discussing it. His body language, tone and countenance clearly show he means it too. Its about the same with most people I talk to, unless they are inebriated or high.
Perhaps I only catch that point of view because my mood disorder is severe. I never hallucinated, however I sympathize a lot with Donnie in other ways. He sees so much more than the superficial crap going on around him and it begins to eat at his soul. My depression has done that to me. Donnie gets the chance, through the wormhole and a whole long series of events to turn a messy convulted tragedy into a smaller tragedy, and leaves the earth hopeful.
Hollywood will tell you the last 10 minutes of a movie has the greatest impact on what you remember of the movie. So I think thats why so many people leave that film with a negative feeling. The song at the end, a slow moody remix of the more industrial original dance version by Tears for Fears of Mad World really drags down the mood too.
I suppose we see what we want to see. For me, it was a film with hope and comfort. My eyes though, my mind, can find light in the darkest caves, and beauty in most ugliness. But like Donnie, I can just no longer see through superficiality and apathetically push it to the back of my brain.
I seem to be the only one I've met that finds the movie Donnie Darko not disturbing. In fact, I found parts of it incredibly insightful, comforting and heartwarming.
My friends, those of my age and younger/older look at me as if I'm a lost cause when I tell them this. I first watched the film with my father, because so many people warned me that I was so sensitive due to my severe depression that it would upset me too much.
But, one night my dad and I rented it and watched it. He was very disturbed by it and won't even talk about it. When I make reference to Frank and try to explain why I find it comforting my father asks me to stop discussing it. His body language, tone and countenance clearly show he means it too. Its about the same with most people I talk to, unless they are inebriated or high.
Perhaps I only catch that point of view because my mood disorder is severe. I never hallucinated, however I sympathize a lot with Donnie in other ways. He sees so much more than the superficial crap going on around him and it begins to eat at his soul. My depression has done that to me. Donnie gets the chance, through the wormhole and a whole long series of events to turn a messy convulted tragedy into a smaller tragedy, and leaves the earth hopeful.
Hollywood will tell you the last 10 minutes of a movie has the greatest impact on what you remember of the movie. So I think thats why so many people leave that film with a negative feeling. The song at the end, a slow moody remix of the more industrial original dance version by Tears for Fears of Mad World really drags down the mood too.
I suppose we see what we want to see. For me, it was a film with hope and comfort. My eyes though, my mind, can find light in the darkest caves, and beauty in most ugliness. But like Donnie, I can just no longer see through superficiality and apathetically push it to the back of my brain.
What the hell is that bunny? (Score:2)
IMO it wasn't great, but I did like it because I enjoy films that allow me to figure out or pretend what I would do if I was there in the story, and Donnie Darko had plenty of mysterious and interesting situations that kept me guessing and imagining away.
Very interesting movie (Score:2)
When you see the world in a way that is different from most people, the movie could very well be a source of hope and comfort. Beyond all the random negative stuff, behind how awful and disconnected you feel, there can be a point, a reason why you are the way you are. And hope that th
Re: (Score:2)
You sum it up so well and thoroughly with so few words! (You are strong in the semantic force!) That is how I interpreted it. Its so nice to find that another soul uses the term "redemption" to describe DD!
Disturbance (Score:2)
If you've been through shit yourself, this layer of falseness isn't news, so you are faced with simple recognition; your sense of order in the world isn't under any threat.
I had a major breakdown involving a "psychotic" episode myself; I don't have a mental health condition other than Aspergers, but a therapist who mistook my failure to accept his simple prescriptions* as bloody-mindedness, and my logical
DD, Disturbance & Bad Therapists (Score:2)
I couldn't really understand Donnie's fear of dying alone, but I've always been an existentialist, and a Spinozan Pantheist (although before I met Spinoza, I believed myself to be an atheist), so I'd long dealt with such existential concerns.
Thanks for the long reply, it certainly presented me with another's opinion and offered insight and perpspective that I find useful on several levels!
Major Plot SPOILERS for Donnie Darko you have been warned.
Your last paragraph really makes a great point about the film. Grandma Death did the taboo--had been a nun then turned to science and this is really the catalyst of Donnie's fear, but also of his ability to do-whatever-you-choose-to-call-what-he-does-at-the -end (i don't want to label his act