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The movie that broke everyone's brain finally explains itself—sort of.
TMDB
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Deus ex Machina: The Philosophy of 'Donnie Darko' (2016)

cult obsession90s nostalgiarabbit hole deep-dive

Overview

Documentary

The feature-length documentary about the making of the cult film favourite, "Donnie Darko".

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Content warning
behind the scenes

Standout Aspects

Acting

Richard Kelly's unfiltered creative ramblings are maddening and magnetic.

Production

The doomed theatrical release story is indie film tragedy at its finest.

Best for:Solo: Late night rabbit hole after rewatching the original for the 47th time.·Streaming: When you need to feel smarter about a film you still don't fully get.
D

Director

Daniel Griffith

ReleasedDec 12, 2016
Runtime1h 25m
StatusReleased

Vibe

Pacesteady
Intensitymedium
Tonemixed
Feelmedium
Ballyhoo Motion Pictures

Top Cast

Richard Kelly

Richard Kelly

Self

Steven Poster

Steven Poster

Self

James Duval

James Duval

Self

Michael Andrews

Michael Andrews

Self

Sean McKittrick

Sean McKittrick

Self

April Ferry

April Ferry

Self

Jake Gyllenhaal

Jake Gyllenhaal

Self (archive footage)

Jena Malone

Jena Malone

Self (archive footage)

Ask about Deus ex Machina: The Philosophy of 'Donnie Darko'

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Deep Dive

Trivia, insights & behind the scenes

Trivia

The director's cut came about because Richard Kelly found an old VHS workprint in his garage.

Cultural

Donnie Darko's post-9/11 DVD success basically invented the modern cult film—home release resurrection before streaming made it normal.

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