Some films aren't instant classics, yet over time they gain newfound appreciation and cult followings that make them forever iconic. This is certainly the case with Donnie Darko, a film that became much more popular and beloved in the years following its lackluster release. Almost two decades after its release, fans continue to obsess over and debate the smallest details and deeper meaning of the film.
The film features moments that can be, powerful, thought-provoking, unsettling, or even hilarious. The many memorable quotes from the film serve as the best way to immortalize its best moments.
10 "28 Days, 6 Hours, 42 Minutes, 12 Seconds. That Is When The World Will End."
Frank's declaration of an apocalyptic countdown raises the stakes for the entire film. It creates a sense of existential dread and mystery as the story moves closer and closer to this doomsday, with the audience not understanding what it means until the end of the film.
So much of the movie feels ambiguous, but audiences know that everything will eventually connect back to Frank's haunting line and the beginning of the countdown that continues throughout the story.
9 "Destruction Is A Form Of Creation. . ."
The full quote reads, "Destruction Is A Form Of Creation. So The Fact They Burn The Money Is Ironic. They Just Want To See What Happens When They Tear The World Apart. They Want To Change Things."
Donnie shares these thoughts during his English class discussion of Graham Greene's short story "The Destructors." His remarks foreshadow some of his actions and capture one of the film's themes.
When Donnie floods the school, it leads to his first meaningful interaction with Gretchen as they walk home and get to know each other, which sparks their budding teenage romance. When Donnie burns down Jim Cunningham's home, he exposes Cunningham's child pornography ring, which leads to the arrest of the pedophilic motivational speaker. When the plane engine falls on Donnie, it resets the universe to the way it was supposed to be. In all these instances, destruction occurs, but it always creates something better and leads to positive change.
8 "Every Living Creature On This Earth Dies Alone."
Roberta Sparrow's chilling words are thought-provoking in their own right, but they also feed into Donnie's deepest fears and the culmination of his character arc. If Donnie accepts Roberta Sparrow's words, he cannot see a point in life or religion if all it leads to is a sad and lonely death.
By the end of the film, it appears that Donnie embraces this existential truth, though. He is technically alone when the plane engine crushes him to death in his bedroom, yet he laughs joyfully. He knows he's about to be freed from his pain and that his death will make things right for all of his loved ones.
7 "What If You Could Go Back In Time And Take All Those Hours Of Pain And Darkness And Replace Them With Something Better?"
Gretchen poses this question as she and Donnie discuss ideas for their Science class project. Their project focuses on glasses designed for infants. These glasses will allow the infant to see positive and calming images like a beautiful sunset instead of experiencing darkness or pain.
This line takes on new meaning by the end of the story as Donnie does go back in time and when he does, the hours of pain and darkness that transpire during the film are undone and replaced with the possibility of a better future.
6 "Did You Stop And Think That Maybe Infants Need Darkness?"
When Donnie and Gretchen present their Science project, their teacher presents a critical question. He asks them to consider if infants need darkness in order to develop. This suggests that replacing darkness with an image of a calming sunset might actually be doing the infant a disservice.
This question is not only applicable to Donnie and Gretchen's project, but is also an important question for everyone. It raises the idea that darkness and pain are needed because, without the struggle of enduring and overcoming these things, people will never learn to develop and adapt in the face of challenge and adversity.
5 "Why Are You Wearing That Stupid Man Suit?"
This is Frank's response when Donnie asks, "Why are you wearing that stupid bunny suit?" Frank's response shows that people are never what they seem to be. Frank just looks like a creepy bunny, but his true purpose is far more complex than that.
This line also reaffirms that Donnie is far more than what he seems. He is not an ordinary person and hasn't yet met his full potential.
4 "Cellar Door . . ."
The full quote reads, "This Famous Linguist Once Said, Of All The Phrases In The English Language, Of All The Endless Combinations Of Words In All Of History, That 'Cellar Door 'Is The Most Beautiful."
Drew Barrymore's English teacher character Karen Pomeroy shares this with Donnie as she leaves her classroom for the last time. The phrase "cellar door" sounds beautiful, regardless of its meaning. This practically captures the essence of Donnie Darko. Audiences may not understand the meaning behind everything in the film, but that doesn't make it any less beautiful of a story to behold.
Of course, "cellar door" also goes on to play an important role in the plot as the appearance of an actual cellar door leads Donnie to make a fateful choice.
3 "Sometimes I Doubt Your Commitment To Sparkle Motion."
Donnie Darko deals with some heavy and thought-provoking content, but it's also filled with some truly hilarious and absurd moments. Beth Grant's character Kitty Farmer is at the center of much of the film's absurd humor.
The most quoted example of this is when Kitty questions Rose Darko's commitment to their daughters' dance team named Sparkle Motion. Kitty's hypocrisy is lost on no one as she prioritizes defending a child predator over coaching Sparklet Motion and then gaslights Rose for not being a good mother.
2 "How Does It Feel To Have A Wacko For A Son?" "It Feels Wonderful."
Donnie's parents are a refreshing and underrated part of the film. They recognize that they don't fully understand Donnie and they never will. They recognize that Donnie is troubled and different.
By showing that they love Donnie and accept him, they do the most important and powerful thing that they can possibly do. In this particular moment, Rose Darko shows her son love and support. Parents and children inevitably disagree and fail to understand each other, but the most important thing is that they show they love each other.
1 "I Hope That When The World Comes To An End, I Can Breathe A Sigh Of Relief, Because There Will Be So Much To Look Forward To."
Donnie is tormented for much of the film, but the end of his world offers a chance for salvation. As he embraces his fate and makes things right again, he is able to find the acceptance and inner peace that he struggles to achieve throughout the entire story. It is the end of his life, but it also means the end of his suffering and a new beginning for all of his loved ones.
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