Donnie Darko - 25th Anniversary Review

About this episode

Jamie Apps and Corrina Mabey celebrate the 25th anniversary of Donnie Darko, exploring its themes and impact on cinema.

Twenty-five years ago, a jet engine fell from the sky and changed cinema forever. Jamie Apps and Corrina Mabey reunite in The Commentary Booth to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Donnie Darko — Richard Kelly 's mind-bending, genre-defying debut that launched Jake Gyllenhaal into stardom and left audiences questioning reality, time, and the nature of a very unsettling rabbit. In this special flashback episode, Jamie brings a fresh set of eyes to the film for the very first time, while Corrina (a devoted annual rewatcher) guides him through the labyrinthine twists, time loops, and philosophical rabbit holes that have made Donnie Darko a genuine cult classic. Expect spirited debate, genuine confusion, and more than a few moments of "wait, WHAT?" They dive deep into what makes this film so endlessly rewatchable: its rich thematic layers spanning mental health, teenage alienation, predestination, nihilism, and faith; its deceptively stacked early-2000s cast featuring Jake Gyllenhaal, Maggie Gyllenhaal , Drew Barrymore , Patrick Swayze , Seth Rogen , and Noah Wyle ; and the remarkable behind-the-scenes story of how Drew Barrymore's Flower Films rescued the movie from obscurity for…

People in this episode

Host: Jamie Apps

Guest: Corrina Mabey

Topics covered

• film review
• Donnie Darko
• cinema history
• cult classic
• philosophy
• mental health
• teenage alienation

Keywords

• Donnie Darko
• Richard Kelly
• Jake Gyllenhaal
• cult classic
• philosophical themes
• film analysis
• 2000s cinema
• mental health
• time travel
• Drew Barrymore

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Donnie Darko

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