Jake Gyllenhaal portrays the central character, a young man who feels like he doesn't belong. He’s experienced difficulties since childhood, and only "Gretchen" (Jena Malone) seems to acknowledge him. Perhaps he finds comfort when seeing a therapist—particularly during hypnosis—and it is through this altered state that we begin an unusual journey, observing “Donnie” as he grows from boyhood into the challenges of adolescence. The arrival of an aircraft engine falling through his roof certainly didn't help matters, so his body’s defenses appear to seek comfort in a friend named "Frank." He isn’t real—or at least not unless oversized rabbits have wandered out of a fantastical realm—and when he learns that the world is slated to end in less than a month, it becomes necessary for him to find some sort of psychological escape—something akin to a TARDIS. The reason behind his survival from the accident remains a persistent question as his suffering intensifies, leading to minor offenses and strain on his connection with "Gretchen," who is essentially his only friend. I wasn't aware that rabbits could be frightening, but here, director Richard Kelly uses lighting—mostly dimness—to build a palpable sense of danger as young “Donnie” seems to lose any understanding he might have had of what’s happening. It also manages to be darkly humorous at times, with the clever script blurring the lines between reality and imagination in an appealing way. Gyllenhaal delivers a good performance, bringing a sense of fragility to a role that's hard to pin down, and as things unfold, some of our initial ideas shift. The memorable Gary Jules rendition of Tears for Fears’ "Mad World" highlights a powerful 1980s soundtrack, and the entire film possesses an otherworldly quality that I found quite pleasing.

Source on TMDB