Donnie Darko - A Film Overview
Timeline of Important Events
The entire movie shows how the Ensurance Trap is set up and how it plays out. This is a brief timeline of important events in the movie and a description as to why each one is needed in the Trap.
The movie begins on October 1st, 1988, with Donnie waking up in the middle of the street, far away on a hill just after a storm. This is important because it is unsure whether the world will end because of an endless time-loop, or because of the Tangent Universe collapse. Since Donnie wakes up far away on a hill, this implies that he has tried to send the jet engine back in time before, and has failed, thus the 28 days repeat.
On October 2nd, at about midnight, Frank wakes Donnie up and guides him out of his room and onto a golf course. He tells Donnie that the world will end in 28 days. During this time, the jet engine plummets from the sky and into his room. With Frank's help, Donnie evades death and now the Tangent Universe is created.
While Donnie and his father are driving home from school, they swerve out of the way of "Grandma Death" who is continuously walking to and from her mailbox in the middle of the street. She, given the book she has written, is the most knowledgeable person about what is going on. Though she does not know exactly about Donnie's situation, she understands all about the science behind it such as the Tangent Universe. What possibly is the reason why she is walking back and forth to her mailbox is that she can see the water spears, just as Donnie can. She can see the spear guiding her to her mailbox, but there is never any mail. Since she constantly see's this spear, she constantly goes back and forth to her mailbox knowing there is some purpose, which there is much later in the movie.
On October 2nd, at about midnight, Frank wakes Donnie up and guides him out of his room and onto a golf course. He tells Donnie that the world will end in 28 days. During this time, the jet engine plummets from the sky and into his room. With Frank's help, Donnie evades death and now the Tangent Universe is created.
While Donnie and his father are driving home from school, they swerve out of the way of "Grandma Death" who is continuously walking to and from her mailbox in the middle of the street. She, given the book she has written, is the most knowledgeable person about what is going on. Though she does not know exactly about Donnie's situation, she understands all about the science behind it such as the Tangent Universe. What possibly is the reason why she is walking back and forth to her mailbox is that she can see the water spears, just as Donnie can. She can see the spear guiding her to her mailbox, but there is never any mail. Since she constantly see's this spear, she constantly goes back and forth to her mailbox knowing there is some purpose, which there is much later in the movie.
During the middle of that night, Frank makes Donnie flood the school by smashing the water main with an axe. The next day, a little girl tells the rest of the kids at a bus stop that the school is closed because it's flooded. As Donnie is walking home, he stumbles upon Gretchen who is being picked on by some neighborhood bullies and walks her home. As they are walking, they talk and learn about each other. Donnie says "Well I'm really glad school was flooded today...because you and I would have never had this conversation." Eventually, Donnie asks out Gretchen and thus begins their relationship.
A little bit later, when Donnie is in his bathroom, Frank visits him. The school is thoroughly investigating who vandalized their property, but Frank assures Donnie that he got away with it. Donnie asks Frank "Why did you make me flood the school?" but Frank only responds with "They are in great danger." Donnie still is confused by what is going on since he still wonders why he flooded the school. The purpose of flooding the school is exactly as he said earlier, to meet Gretchen.
Donnie receives "The Philosophy of Time Travel" from Dr. Monnitoff. Donnie reads through the book and learns a lot about what is going on. After Donnie finishes reading this book, he writes a letter to Roberta Sparrow. This may be another reason why she is seeing a spear guiding her to her mailbox. She is waiting for the letter Donnie will write to her.
While Donnie is watching TV one night, he sees a watery tunnel protruding out of his chest. It guides him to his father's closet where he finds a gun. Donnie takes it.
Donnie is in his bathroom again, this time with a kitchen knife. He is stabbing at Frank's eye, which is glowing. This is another hint that the world is stuck in a time-loop. Donnie probably remembers something about Frank's eye from a "dream", or previous Tangent Universe, where he failed to send back the jet-engine and restarted the 28 days.
A little bit later, when Donnie is in his bathroom, Frank visits him. The school is thoroughly investigating who vandalized their property, but Frank assures Donnie that he got away with it. Donnie asks Frank "Why did you make me flood the school?" but Frank only responds with "They are in great danger." Donnie still is confused by what is going on since he still wonders why he flooded the school. The purpose of flooding the school is exactly as he said earlier, to meet Gretchen.
Donnie receives "The Philosophy of Time Travel" from Dr. Monnitoff. Donnie reads through the book and learns a lot about what is going on. After Donnie finishes reading this book, he writes a letter to Roberta Sparrow. This may be another reason why she is seeing a spear guiding her to her mailbox. She is waiting for the letter Donnie will write to her.
While Donnie is watching TV one night, he sees a watery tunnel protruding out of his chest. It guides him to his father's closet where he finds a gun. Donnie takes it.
Donnie is in his bathroom again, this time with a kitchen knife. He is stabbing at Frank's eye, which is glowing. This is another hint that the world is stuck in a time-loop. Donnie probably remembers something about Frank's eye from a "dream", or previous Tangent Universe, where he failed to send back the jet-engine and restarted the 28 days.
Jim Cunningham is giving a presentation at Donnie's school. Donnie stands up and openly rejects everything he is saying. A little while later, while Donnie is walking outside, he stumbles upon Jim's wallet. Frank's voice can be heard saying "Now you know where he lives."
Donnie and Gretchen go to a movie together. They are both in a completely empty movie theater, and Gretchen falls asleep practically at the beginning of the movie. When Donnie looks over, Frank is sitting next to Gretchen. Donnie just smiles and looks back at the movie. Frank takes off his bunny mask to reveal his real face. He is bleeding out of his right eye. Donnie asks why he calls him Frank. Frank says "It is the name of my father, and his father before me." This quote also hints that Donnie has already lived out these 28 days before in a previous Tangent Universe where he failed and started over again. Frank then sends Donnie out to burn Jim Cunningham's home down.
At about the same time when Donnie is burning Jim's house down, Samantha Darko and Sparkle Motion, her dance crew, are performing. They perform so well that they make it to the next level in a competition. This eventually causes Mrs. Darko to leave town with Sparkle Motion.
When firefighters arrive, Donnie is already gone. They find a secret room in Jim's house which exposes a child pornography ring Jim is a part of. Mrs. Farmer, a teacher who practically devotes her entire teaching curriculum to Jim Cunningham, learns about this and thinks that there must be a mistake or conspiracy. She feels that she has to appear at Jim's arraignment. Mrs. Farmer was also supposed to take Sparkle Motion to Los Angeles. She can't go, all of the other mothers of the children can't go, and her only option is to ask Mrs. Darko to go, and she agrees. Mr. Darko is also out of town which leaves the Darko's home up to the 3 kids. This allows them to throw a party.
Donnie and Gretchen go to a movie together. They are both in a completely empty movie theater, and Gretchen falls asleep practically at the beginning of the movie. When Donnie looks over, Frank is sitting next to Gretchen. Donnie just smiles and looks back at the movie. Frank takes off his bunny mask to reveal his real face. He is bleeding out of his right eye. Donnie asks why he calls him Frank. Frank says "It is the name of my father, and his father before me." This quote also hints that Donnie has already lived out these 28 days before in a previous Tangent Universe where he failed and started over again. Frank then sends Donnie out to burn Jim Cunningham's home down.
At about the same time when Donnie is burning Jim's house down, Samantha Darko and Sparkle Motion, her dance crew, are performing. They perform so well that they make it to the next level in a competition. This eventually causes Mrs. Darko to leave town with Sparkle Motion.
When firefighters arrive, Donnie is already gone. They find a secret room in Jim's house which exposes a child pornography ring Jim is a part of. Mrs. Farmer, a teacher who practically devotes her entire teaching curriculum to Jim Cunningham, learns about this and thinks that there must be a mistake or conspiracy. She feels that she has to appear at Jim's arraignment. Mrs. Farmer was also supposed to take Sparkle Motion to Los Angeles. She can't go, all of the other mothers of the children can't go, and her only option is to ask Mrs. Darko to go, and she agrees. Mr. Darko is also out of town which leaves the Darko's home up to the 3 kids. This allows them to throw a party.
Mrs. Pomeroy, Donnie's literature teacher, has the words "Cellar Door" written on the board. She tells Donnie that a famous linguist said that "Cellar Door" was the most beautiful of all possible word combinations.
Donnie and Elizabeth learn that Elizabeth got into Harvard. They decide to throw a party. This is made possible by a few events in the Ensurance Trap.
At the party, nearly 6 hours before the world is going to end, Donnie figures out what everything is about. Gretchen, Donnie, and 2 of their friends go to Roberta Sparrow's house. They travel to her cellar and walk in the door where they are attacked by neighborhood bullies. Gretchen is thrown out into the street. While Gretchen is lying in the street, Living Frank is driving down the street. He almost runs into Roberta Sparrow, who is still at her mailbox, but instead swerves out of the way and runs over Gretchen instead, killing her. After killing Gretchen, Living Frank steps out of the car. Donnie uses his Dad's gun and shoots Frank in his right eye. Since Frank has died in the Tangent Universe where he would not have in the Primary Universe, he has become the "Manipulated Dead".
Donnie and Elizabeth learn that Elizabeth got into Harvard. They decide to throw a party. This is made possible by a few events in the Ensurance Trap.
At the party, nearly 6 hours before the world is going to end, Donnie figures out what everything is about. Gretchen, Donnie, and 2 of their friends go to Roberta Sparrow's house. They travel to her cellar and walk in the door where they are attacked by neighborhood bullies. Gretchen is thrown out into the street. While Gretchen is lying in the street, Living Frank is driving down the street. He almost runs into Roberta Sparrow, who is still at her mailbox, but instead swerves out of the way and runs over Gretchen instead, killing her. After killing Gretchen, Living Frank steps out of the car. Donnie uses his Dad's gun and shoots Frank in his right eye. Since Frank has died in the Tangent Universe where he would not have in the Primary Universe, he has become the "Manipulated Dead".
Donnie takes Gretchen back to his house and takes Elizabeth's car. Donnie, by this point, understands what he must do and drives to a hill. As he is sitting on the hill, a plane can be seen flying through the funnel cloud. Donnie successfully sends the jet engine back in time 28 and closes the Tangent Universe thus saving the Primary Universe.
Donnie can be seen 28 days earlier laughing in his bed. He probably remembers how he saved the world in his dream at this point, just before the jet engine lands on him. The film then shows many other important characters and their reactions as they wake up. As noted in The Philosophy of Time Travel, they may have dreams or vague memories of what happened. Mrs. Farmer looks horrified and touches her mouth as if she's ashamed of what she said. Frank remembers something about his eye and touches it. Jim Cunningham is crying. Cherita probably remembers Donnie saying "I promise that one day everything will be ok." and she is smiling at this. Finally, as workers are hauling out the jet engine, Gretchen stops by on her bike to see what's going on. A neighborhood boy explains that Donnie Darko was "smushed" by a jet engine. He asks if she knew Donnie. She says "No."
Donnie Darko overall is a mind-boggling film. Throughout the film, viewers and characters both have an eerie sense of impending doom. This is due to both the artistic style that director Richard Kelly uses, and how it is largely a psychological film. The use of dark colors subconsciously induces a negative emotion into viewers. Despite this, I believe that the movie is less about how the world is going to end and how Donnie is saving it, but more about how the Ensurance Trap is preventing Donnie from dying alone, his greatest fear. This may be why The Philosophy of Time Travel leaves pieces missing. The largest piece is whether or not the world that Donnie is in is stuck in a time-loop. For a further explanation of the story assuming the world is NOT stuck in a time-loop, click here. For an explanation that takes the time-loop into account, click here.
Donnie can be seen 28 days earlier laughing in his bed. He probably remembers how he saved the world in his dream at this point, just before the jet engine lands on him. The film then shows many other important characters and their reactions as they wake up. As noted in The Philosophy of Time Travel, they may have dreams or vague memories of what happened. Mrs. Farmer looks horrified and touches her mouth as if she's ashamed of what she said. Frank remembers something about his eye and touches it. Jim Cunningham is crying. Cherita probably remembers Donnie saying "I promise that one day everything will be ok." and she is smiling at this. Finally, as workers are hauling out the jet engine, Gretchen stops by on her bike to see what's going on. A neighborhood boy explains that Donnie Darko was "smushed" by a jet engine. He asks if she knew Donnie. She says "No."
Donnie Darko overall is a mind-boggling film. Throughout the film, viewers and characters both have an eerie sense of impending doom. This is due to both the artistic style that director Richard Kelly uses, and how it is largely a psychological film. The use of dark colors subconsciously induces a negative emotion into viewers. Despite this, I believe that the movie is less about how the world is going to end and how Donnie is saving it, but more about how the Ensurance Trap is preventing Donnie from dying alone, his greatest fear. This may be why The Philosophy of Time Travel leaves pieces missing. The largest piece is whether or not the world that Donnie is in is stuck in a time-loop. For a further explanation of the story assuming the world is NOT stuck in a time-loop, click here. For an explanation that takes the time-loop into account, click here.
"Do you believe in time travel?"
-MD Frank
