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Donnie Darko (2001) First Time Watching! Full Movie Reaction!! (Patreon)

Published:
2025-07-30 17:05:26
Imported:
2026-06
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Donnie Darko (2001) First Time Watching! Full Movie Reaction!!

Comments

Backlog Andy M.

Tears For Fears. One of my fav bands. Got introduced to a new generation because of this film 🎥

Jonathan Patrick

Great choice. Great follow up “Vanilla Sky” with Tom Cruise 👍

Paul Cox

I'm so excited to find out Daniel has such a big history with Bubble Boy! I love that movie while being fully cognizant of how stupid it is. I used to (politely) force people to watch it with me.

Vincent Hollow

This movie was recommended to me by my therapist back in 2006/7, so I'm not sure if he was trying to tell me something, but at least I got a good movie out of it 😅

Tyler Foster

In addition to altering some of the soundtrack cues (for instance, no more Echo and the Bunnymen "Killing Moon" over the opening of Donnie biking home, if I remember correctly), the main thing the director's cut does is adds a bunch of footage back into the movie and then overlays pages of Roberta Sparrow's The Philosophy of Time Travel on the screen in front of relevant scenes. Although this might be interesting to those who have already seen the movie, it does take away any semblance of mystery as to what's going on, holding the viewer's hand through the entire movie. One fun fact is that the scene about Smurfs had to be run by the estate of Peyo, the creator of The Smurfs. The estate approved based on the fact that everything Donnie says about Smurf lore is correct, so they had no objection.

Marcus Cato

I thought it was interesting that one of the movies playing at the theater was Scorsese's Last Temptation of Christ. Donnie is forced to into a similar decision, allowing himself to die to undo some of the horrible things have happened to others.

Marcus Cato

I have NO IDEA what kind of message I would have taken from that.

Vincent Hollow

At least we never did any hypno-therapy 👀👀👀

Birdie Num Num

I go to that theatre all the time - the Aero in Santa Monica. They are famous for their all night horrorthon every October. There were also some scenes from Sleepwalkers and Masquerade filmed there. They show Donnie Darko every Easter:)

Steve Mercier

I fucking love this weird-ass movie. The cast, the odd ominous tone, Jake Gyllenhaal and the rest of the fantastic cast--just everything. I especially love how this movie doesn't hold your hand--which the director's cut does, and I don't personally recommend it (that cut does expand on Drew Barrymore's character a bit, which I appreciated; but, the original theatrical cut is the best...yes, in my opinion). Everything is there for your interpretation, and if it doesn't all click for you, something here will, and it will get under your skin (but, you know--in a good way). Also, this line: "He asked me to forcibly insert the lifeline card into my anus!” Good shit.

Florian Meier

Sam i saw this in the Theaters in 2001 and everybody Was Confused :) Nobody knows Gyllenhall at the Time, really cool Film and the Song Mad World was a Big Hit in Germany !!! Also Gyllenhall was a Big Fan of Patrick Swayze and it was emotional for him to Make the Remake of Road House and working with him in his early Career !!! Speaking of Patrick, Guys please watch "Ghost" ... This would be a Fantastic Reaction !! For the Next Thriller Poll i Recommend "Basic Instinct" and " A Fatal Attraction" (Both Top Hits with Michael Douglas) and "Marathon Man" with Dustin Hoffman

Kyle K

Been needing to rewatch this 🙂

ShadowVessel π

This is one of the few movies where I like the theatrical version better than the director's cut. And don't worry, there's a website you can go read afterwards that explains everything. Lol

Brian Anthony

I saw this for the 1st time,my sophomore year,in psychology class.I just remembered the creepy rabbit and Patrick Swayze storyline.OAN..Dan and Sam got me feeling old;not knowing much about the smurfs lol.Now you get to watch it through baby Schmidt though.

Alex

This is a great film. You have to watch it multiple times. I think I saw it at least 15 times? Thinking back on it I'm not really sure if it's just this movie or most movies, but when you rewatch it you will see all kinds of stuff in it, like in the beginning you see the girls rehearsing the dance for Sparkle Motion at the end. Daniel pretty much got all the major points. Someone else mentioned here that Donnie is kind of like a Jesus figure. I think one of the things you missed was all the intriguing references to Donnie throughout the movie, like when Noah Wyle said "Donnie Darko" to Drew Barrymore and she was like "I know..." in kind of like a taken manner as if he's some kind of celebrity or some great person. And Gretchen says "What kind of name is Donnie Darko? That sounds like a superhero name or something" and he says "What makes you think I'm not?" The thing with the airplane engine that they mentioned in the beginning was that the serial number matched an engine on another plane, and that's why they couldn't figure it out, because it was the plane that eventually they fly back on at the end of the movie. The thing about Graham Greene in the PTA meeting is that there's another Graham Greene that starred in Bonanza and so she's portrayed as the ignorant hater who doesn't know enough of what she's talking about to really talk about something but she just doesn't like the content in the book or something. Basically in addition to being a really cerebral movie it's also really great for kids who love seeing kids rebel and confront authority in a badass way. I remember I thought the assembly scene was the coolest thing I've ever seen, and was like YEAH he told him! lol.

Jorge Lopez

Regarding the Jake Gyllenhall movies you both mentioned you haven't seen, I highly recommend Source Code and October Sky. October Sky is pretty well known, which is why it's been recommended often and has been reacted to a bunch. But Source Code is a very underrated sci-fi movie that doesn't get enough love.

PIG

Props to Daniel on explaining a complex and strange movie in the end! I thought he did an excellent job, beyond what I could have said if I had to summarize the end for sure.

PIG

I didn't realize they already saw Twin Peaks. Have the Shmitts ever mentioned a certain "German show" that reminds me of Donnie Darko?

MacGuffinStuff

Yep, absolutely, it's a cult classic because of what you said about it being so open to interpretation. I have so many, not theories, I'm not that smart, but just what ifs? And they are all over the place lol Some involve lucid dreaming and astral projection, and micro universes, DMT, Heaven and Hell and Purgatory and Donnie's martyrdom to give all those people a small reset I guess? I truly don't know but it is a great movie to watch multiple times in my opinion.

Tyler Foster

99% certain that they have not seen "Twin Peaks." They just know that Kyle MacLachlan is from "Twin Peaks."

Tyler Foster

Having watched the reaction now: I certainly hope Bubble Boy makes the channel someday. Dan should not be ashamed. Delightfully stupid movie. Jake is as committed to Bubble Boy as he is in Nightcrawler (complimentary). My favorite Maggie Gyllenhaal performance is in an underrated Will Ferrell movie called Stranger Than Fiction which I love so, so much. Just a wonderful movie. Also highly recommend for a reaction. Beth Grant, who plays Kitty Farmer, has had a lengthy career playing characters very similar to this. You have seen her on the channel as the anxious passenger on the bus in Speed who tries to get off and gets blown up and run over, as well as a nicer person in Rain Man who lets Dustin Hoffman come into her house and watch TV when Tom Cruise doesn't know where else to go. In addition to not doubting himself about Bubble Boy, Dan should also not doubt himself too much about his interpretation. While I'm not sure Frank is trying to apologize to Donnie by giving him an opportunity to live (since that sets off the chain of events that ultimately kills Frank), the rest of the interpretation is at least the conventional take on the movie, which is that Donnie intentionally travels back in time to save Gretchen, and is laughing because his fear of being alone is gone. One tiny touch that is easy to miss is that Frank has just visited Elizabeth at the beginning of the movie, when Donnie wakes up in the mountains. As Donnie bikes up to his house you can see Frank's red car driving off in the other direction, and you of course hear the car again revving and honking when he drops her off later, right before the jet engine lands on the house. Writer/director Richard Kelly has so far only made two other movies, both of which I think are worth watching. The first was Southland Tales, which is very much in the vein of Darko but even bigger, featuring an even wilder ensemble of major stars. In that case, you should try and watch the "Cannes cut," which premiered at that festival and was greeted with confusion, leading to a heavily-edited theatrical cut that is hard to follow. Lastly, he made The Box, an adaptation of a famous short story, although Kelly put his own stamp on it. Might be good for Halloween. Also, if you just want some other time movies, I recommend Looper (2012) and the Happy Death Day duology (2017 and 2019). I'm also a little surprised to see that Edge of Tomorrow (2014) is not on your channel.

PIG

Makes sense! If they like weird that makes you think.... well Twin Peaks will be a trip.

Dan Holmes

very rewatchable, gets better every time :) I think it's a loop, the movie is Donnie breaking the loop :)

Tyler Foster

Never quite thought of it as a "kids rebel" movie, but that's interesting. The two that I first think of there are Hackers (1995) and Pump Up the Volume (1990).

Tyler Foster

It might be that they've both seen Ghost? I think Sam has definitely said she's seen it.

Florian Meier

Yes, i think only Sam ... Ghost is also on their Watchlist in the Letterbox

OddThomas

Southland Tales is another Richard Kelly film worth watching. It's more of a mess than Donnie Darko, but it's an INTERESTING mess.

OddThomas

Source Code is great

OddThomas

Vanilla Sky is great

Jen Barnes

And what a soundtrack! My recommendations: Jake Gyllenhaal: October Sky, Source Code, Southpaw, Roadhouse (both fun AND garbage) Mary McDonnell: Passion Fish, Mumford, Grand Canyon Maggie Gyllenhaal: Stranger then Fiction, Crazy Heart, Secretary

James Miley

October Sky was the first film I ever saw Jake in. Great film with a solid supporting cast as well.

penoyer79

people love these artsy fartsy movies.... was not a fan of this one. imo just overrated pretentious tripe.

Grand Moff Slackin'

I vote for a Zodiac re-watch! Also, Presumed Innocent is a good Jake led miniseries.

Alex

Are you guys gonna do Squid Game 2/3 and Stranger Things? Stranger Things. 5 comes out in November, and I think before you guys have said you've seen the first season or something? maybe first two? I think it would be great to see a rewatch of it on here even though you guys have seen it coz I mean, I just started rewatching it a couple weeks ago and I didn't remember 99% of anything of it until after I saw it then I did remember but there's a lot I didn't remember. I guess Squid Game 2/3 can wait? but that would be cool too.

TBR Schmitt

Haha we definitely need to watch it together! -Sam

TBR Schmitt

Oh my gosh that is hilarious and strange at the same time! They should have elaborated after you watched it! -Sam

TBR Schmitt

Ooh thanks for sharing! Maybe check out the directors cut on next watch! That is so funny about the Smurf lore! -Sam

TBR Schmitt

Ooh! Love when films are so clever like that! Such a small detail that’s probably overlooked a lot but a nice treat! -Sam

TBR Schmitt

Hahaha love it! I hope you enjoyed the reaction! From the comments I’m definitely glad we started with the theatrical! -Sam

TBR Schmitt

Love it! Have you seen the remake for Road House? If so, did you like it? Lots of great films to check out still! I’ve seen Ghost but definitely on our list for Daniel! -Sam

TBR Schmitt

Ooh interesting you watched in school! I’m sure there were some crazy discussions after haha we do need to check out the Smurfs with her! -Sam

TBR Schmitt

I agree we have to watch this again! I did notice the girls practicing their dancing! I guess I just didn’t realize at the time how that would tie in! Such a great comment! Lots of things to ponder on for this one haha -Sam

TBR Schmitt

Thank you for the recommendations, Jorge! -Sam

TBR Schmitt

Yes, we have not seen Twin Peaks! Definitely on our list though! -Sam

TBR Schmitt

Love this!! I think this is exactly what makes it so great! -Sam

Vincent Hollow

"I think you're the fucking Antichrist." - my therapist's professional diagnosis, probably.

Florian Meier

I Didn't think it was bad Sam, of course it doesn't come close to the Original but i thought it was really ok... I think it would be a good Film to react

Michael Tuffin

Which version is this? There are 4 different cuts