A Day in the Death of Donnie B is not perfect, but watching it right after screening the stilted failure that is Lars and the Real Girls makes this 40 year old short feel vivacious and refreshing. The mixture of audio testimonies and visual re-enactment create a mixture of documentary and fiction that is nothing new, but it is inspiring. The film is quite dependent on its soundtrack to tie together a series of random actions, seemingly shot on a non-synch 16mm camera. I could easily describe this film as being like a student film, but that would leave me to wonder why so few student films I see feel this ambitious or relevant.
