 The movie takes place in 1988. Frank tells Donnie the world will end  in 28 days, 06 hours, 42 minutes, and 12 seconds. If you add these  numbers, the sum is 88. When Samantha asks when she can have kids,  Donnie says: "Not until 8th grade." Donnie mentions to his therapist  that his dog Callie died when he was eight. (He is later seen  holding a stuffed toy dog in her office.) According to the  television reporter, the fire at Jim Cunninghams house was  extinguished "sometime after 8:00 last night." The climax of Donnie  Darko occurs one week before the 1988 US presidential election.  George Bush (qv) was elected on November 8, 1988 [11/08/88].