Of all of the elements at work in the film Donnie Darko, I am often struck by the smaller details and the minor characters. With all of the interwoven narratives, it is soothing to find a constant in the character of Donnie Darko, even if he is unreliable and off-kilter. One of these minor characters which with each viewing becomes more and more complex is Cherita, the girl who is crushing on Donnie, who is the symbol of unrequited love and so much more.
In my continued viewings of Donnie Darko, I find myself drawn to Cherita in a way that I think complicates and enhances my understanding of the film. Cherita, who is set apart and portrayed as completely different, through her ethnicity, her interactions and the way she is presented in scenes with other characters and then most importantly, in her interactions with Donnie. They are more alike then they seem, I think, and their unique characters and the ways they are played off one another in the film, suggest a stronger connection. Cherita, if you may have noticed, appears in several scenes, usually off to the side. Her constancy suggests that she is perhaps a larger part of the narrative. I would venture to say that she is very aware of what is going on this world of the film and that she may, on some level, move in the same time-traveling circles as Donnie Darko.
In a poingnant scene, the two time travelers share a moment. Donnie and Cherita, awkwardly and fraught with fear, engage one another, somewhat one-sidedly to come to an understanding. In this scene, after Donnie has left Karen’s (Drew Barrymore) classroom, the camera moves in an eyeline match to Chertia, standing at her locker. This reaction to her being there is similar to the reaction that Karen had when she discovered her at the sports field. Surprised but not shocked, almost as if he expected or even wanted her on some level to be there. The mobile frame shows Donnie as he approaches her, and she backs away. When Donnie goes to grab her earmuffs and confront her, the camera moves into a medium close up. Donnie says, “I promise that one day everything’s going to be better for you.” This statement is, on one hand, Donnie reacting to what Karen had told him in the previous scene, when she was packing up her things. When Donnie asked what he should tell the other students when they ask about her, she says, “Tell them that everything is going to be just fine.” This statement, a bit dark and biting, is reflected in Donnie’s assurances to Cherita. On the other hand, the statement is a true moment of understanding between the two, but the paradox of Cherita’s character is reflected in her reaction the moment- running away. Cherita knows that everything is not going to be just fine and that everything is not going to be better for her one day. This knowledge is shown in the way that she is filmed in the scene, running away. Upon first approach, Cherita moves backwards, then when Donnie makes the statement, she hesitates slightly before turning to run. In this hesitation she again utters the two words she say throughout the film, “Chut up.” At this point, the “shut up” has lost meaning as an imperative, asking the other person to be quiet. Instead, the shut up at this point is more, “I don’t want to hear it.” She doesn’t want to be assured because she knows that things will not be well. The camera follows her for a bit, but then cuts to Donnie and then to a close up of her notebook, the revelation of the crush. The camera then cuts to Cherita running away. It is stationary, having taken Donnie’s point of view. As Cherita runs down the hall, she is framed by the lockers, and slowly shifts out of a clear focus. When she gets down the hall, running out the door, she is haloed and also disappears into the bright light of the door.
The shot of Cherita out the door dissolves into a shot of Donnie, walking with her earmuffs on his head. The camera moves from a start at a high angle shot and in slow motion Donnie’s head becomes visible as he is walking, until he is at a medium shot. In this scene the camera slowly reveals him, so that the viewer takes note of this moment. The earmuffs, which he has now appropriated, signal to the viewer that he has reached an understanding.