Donnie Darko: When His World Ended
For the first time, I watched Donnie Darko (2001) and something interesting or sad that I thought of is…when Gretchen died, Donnie did as well, and his world had already ended.
Of course, this is just my way of seeing things. There’s really no definitive way to look at things, especially in a movie like Donnie Darko, although it connected to me in a way, so it stood out to me a lot.
Near the end of the film, when Donnie and Gretchen are attacked by Seth and Ricky, the scenario ends with Gretchen being run over by a car and dying on the spot. When the driver gets out of the car, it’s Frank. The rabbit that’s been talking to Donnie during the movie. In this moment, it all comes together.
Earlier during the scene in the theater, when Frank reveals himself outside of his mask for the first time, he apologizes to Donnie, as Gretchen sits in between them, and Donnie asks him “when this gonna stop?” Frank responds by telling him “you should already know that.” Although Donnie still doesn’t know. Of course he knows time wise, but I don’t think he knows what will cause him to go back. Like the moment his own world ends, where he finally chooses to sacrifice himself. Or it could simply mean time wise, who knows? I don’t know.
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Back to the car accident scene, that was the moment Donnie decided what he needed to do. He could go on in a world without Gretchen, which to him may’ve not been a life at all, or he could not exist before meeting her, and her meeting him, so they could’ve never fallen in love, stopping any pain for her, and everyone else. He didn’t need to continue his existence because he knew he could never be with her, or change the events. Of course, the world would’ve ended for everyone if Donnie didn’t do what he did, although realizing it was his world or everyone else’s, he chose everyone else to live on.
Something else that’s interesting is Frank being the one to guide Donnie throughout his journey, and adding deep significance to Gretchen. Frank was the one who already ended Donnie’s world, causing him to go back in time to help Donnie save the world, while ultimately saving Donnie from a life of pain and loneliness. It also explains why he says he’s sorry in the theater.
Lastly, speaking of the theater scene, earlier I mentioned how Gretchen sat in between Donnie and Frank…it almost felt like foreshadowing to the ending. She was the final thing “in the way” of Donnie truly seeing things for what they were, and when she died, Donnie knew what he needed to do. She was his life and only thing standing between him and death.
Needless to say, it’s a very emotional and sad movie. LOL. Although outstanding, and this all heavily plays many themes of the movie. Selflessness, sacrifice, love, pain, etc.
