Movies Like Donnie Darko (2001)

Donnie Darko is a 2001 drama, fantasy, mystery film from Richard Kelly with a MovieMagicScore of 7.8/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with S. Darko and I'm Thinking of Ending Things.

Drama Fantasy Mystery

S. Darko

2009

Seven years after the events of the first film, Samantha Darko finds herself stranded in a small desert town after her car breaks down where she is plagued by bizarre visions telling of the universe's end. As a result, she must face her own demons, and in doing so, save the world and herself.

4.4

MagicScore

I'm Thinking of Ending Things

2020

Nothing is as it seems when a woman experiencing misgivings about her new boyfriend joins him on a road trip to meet his parents at their remote farm.

6.6

MagicScore

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

2006

When 17-year-old Makoto Konno gains the ability to 'leap' backwards through time, she immediately sets about improving her grades and preventing personal mishaps. However, she soon realises that changing the past isn't as simple as it seems, and eventually, will have to rely on her new powers to shape the future of herself and her friends.

7.8

MagicScore

Daniel Isn't Real

2019

A troubled college freshman resurrects his imaginary friend to help him cope with a violent trauma.

6.1

MagicScore

Boys in the Trees

2016

On Halloween 1997, two estranged teen skaters embark on a surreal journey through their memories, dreams and fears.

6.6

MagicScore

The House of Yes

1997

Jackie-O is anxiously awaiting the visit of her brother home for Thanksgiving, but isn't expecting him to bring a friend — and she's even more shocked to learn that this friend is his fiance. It soon becomes clear that her obsession with Jackie Kennedy is nothing compared to her obsession with her brother, and she isn't the only member of the family with problems.

6.1

MagicScore

Angel Heart

1987

A down-and-out Brooklyn detective is hired to track down a singer on an odyssey that will take him through the desperate streets of Harlem, the smoke-filled jazz clubs of New Orleans, and the swamps of Louisiana and its seedy underworld of voodoo.

7.1

MagicScore

Silent Hill

2006

Rose, a desperate mother, takes her adopted daughter, Sharon, to the town of Silent Hill in an attempt to cure her of her ailment. After a violent car crash, Sharon disappears, and Rose embarks on a horrific journey to get her back and begins to uncover the truth behind the apocalyptic disaster that burned the town 30 years earlier.

6.6

MagicScore

The Shining

1980

Jack Torrance accepts a caretaker job at the Overlook Hotel, where he, along with his wife Wendy and their son Danny, must live isolated from the rest of the world for the winter. But they aren't prepared for the madness that lurks within.

8.2

MagicScore

#10

Straight Outta Compton

2015

In 1987, five young men, using brutally honest rhymes and hardcore beats, put their frustration and anger about life in the most dangerous place in America into the most powerful weapon they had: their music. Taking us back to where it all began, Straight Outta Compton tells the true story of how these cultural rebels—armed only with their lyrics, swagger, bravado and raw talent—stood up to the authorities that meant to keep them down and formed the world’s most dangerous group, N.W.A. And as they spoke the truth that no one had before and exposed life in the hood, their voice ignited a social revolution that is still reverberating today.

7.8

MagicScore

#11

I Saw the TV Glow

2024

Teenager Owen is just trying to make it through life in the suburbs when his classmate Maddy introduces him to a mysterious TV show — a vision of a supernatural world beneath their own. In the pale glow of the television, Owen’s view of reality begins to crack.

6.1

MagicScore

#12

Poltergeist

1982

The Freelings' suburban home becomes the center of paranormal activity that opens a portal to the 'other side'. With help, they must cross over to get their daughter back.

7.2

MagicScore

#13

Psycho

1960

When larcenous real estate clerk Marion Crane goes on the lam with a wad of cash and hopes of starting a new life, she ends up at the notorious Bates Motel, where manager Norman Bates cares for his housebound mother.

8.4

MagicScore

#14

Twelve Monkeys

1995

In the year 2035, convict James Cole reluctantly volunteers to be sent back in time to discover the origin of a deadly virus that wiped out nearly all of the earth's population and forced the survivors into underground communities. But when Cole is mistakenly sent to 1990 instead of 1996, he's arrested and locked up in a mental hospital. There he meets psychiatrist Dr. Kathryn Railly and the son of a famous virus expert who may hold the key to the Army of the 12 Monkeys; thought to be responsible for unleashing the killer disease.

7.6

MagicScore

#15

Carrie

2002

An awkward, telekinetic teenage girl's lonely life is dominated by relentless bullying at school and an oppressive religious fanatic mother at home. When her tormentors pull a humiliating prank at the senior prom, she unleashes a horrifying chaos on everyone, leaving nothing but destruction in her wake.

6.1

MagicScore

#16

Joker

2019

During the 1980s, a failed stand-up comedian is driven insane and turns to a life of crime and chaos in Gotham City while becoming an infamous psychopathic crime figure.

8.1

MagicScore

#17

Captain Fantastic

2016

Deep in the forests of the Pacific Northwest, a father devoted to raising his six kids with a rigorous physical and intellectual education is forced to leave his paradise and enter the world, beginning a journey that challenges his idea of what it means to be a parent.

7.9

MagicScore

#18

Mad Love

1995

Matt falls for Casey, the new girl in school. She's fun-loving and eccentric, but there's a darkness to her whimsy that Matt can't begin to comprehend. When Casey attempts to commit suicide, her parents place her in a mental institution. Matt springs her out, and together the young lovers head on a road trip. They believe their love can "cure" Casey's problems. Matt starts to wonder, though, if are they inspired or misguided.

5.2

MagicScore

#19

Detention

2019

In the 1960s, two classmates go looking for their missing friends and teachers, all of whom took part in an illegal book club, only to come face to face with ghosts and deformed monsters that have taken over their school.

6.7

MagicScore

#20

The Little Prince

2015

Based on the best-seller book 'The Little Prince', the movie tells the story of a little girl that lives with resignation in a world where efficiency and work are the only dogmas. Everything will change when accidentally she discovers her neighbor that will tell her about the story of the Little Prince that he once met.

7.6

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like Donnie Darko?

The top films similar to Donnie Darko by MovieMagicScore are S. Darko (4.4), I'm Thinking of Ending Things (6.6), The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (7.8). Each shares drama/fantasy/mystery themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is Donnie Darko worth watching?

Donnie Darko holds a MovieMagicScore of 7.8/10 from 13,329 viewer ratings, putting it among the better-reviewed titles in its genre.

What kind of movie is Donnie Darko?

Donnie Darko (2001) is a drama, fantasy, mystery film directed by Richard Kelly, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, James Duval.

Where can I find more recommendations like Donnie Darko?

Browse the full ranked list above, or explore more drama recommendations on MovieMagicScore, where every list is ordered by genuine viewer ratings.

Keep exploring

Movies like S. Darko Movies like I'm Thinking of Ending Things Movies like The Girl Who Leapt Through Time Movies like Daniel Isn't Real Movies like Boys in the Trees Movies like The House of Yes

About movies like Donnie Darko

This ranked list pairs Donnie Darko (2001), a drama and fantasy and mystery film from Richard Kelly, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Jake Gyllenhaal take note). Unlike critic-driven sites, every position here is ordered by MovieMagicScore — a rating built only from real viewers, with no studio marketing or paid placement. Scores update as more people rate, so the list stays current.

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