A Scanner Darkly

A Scanner Darkly

By Richard Linklater

  • Genre: Sci-Fi & Fantasy
  • Release Date: 2006-07-07
  • Advisory Rating: R
  • Runtime: 1h 40min
  • Director: Richard Linklater
  • Production Company: Warner Independent Pictures
  • Production Country: United States of America
  • iTunes Price: USD 9.99
  • iTunes Rent Price: USD 3.99
6.8/10
6.8
From 1,738 Ratings

Description

Set in a not-too-distant future where America has lost its "war" on drugs, Fred, an undercover cop, is one of many people hooked on the popular drug, Substance D, which causes its users to develop split personalities. Fred is obsessed with taking down Bob, a notorious drug dealer, but due to his Substance D addiction, he does not know that he is also Bob. Based on a classic novel by Philip K. Dick. Starring Keanu Reeves ("Constantine," "The Matrix" trilogy), Academy Award-nominee and Golden Globe-winner Winona Ryder ("Girl, Interupted," "Mr. Deeds"), Academy Award and Emmy-nominee and Golden Globe-winner Robert Downey Jr. ("Good Night, And Good Luck" "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang"), and Academy Award and Golden Globe-nominee and Emmy-winner Woody Harrelson ("North Country," "The People vs. Larry Flynt"). Directed by Academy Award-nominee Richard Linklater ("Before Sunset," "Dazed and Confused"). Filmed in live-action, and then animated using the same critically acclaimed process that Linklater used in his previous film, "Waking Life."

Trailer

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Reviews

  • Read the Book

    2
    By James9791
    I should have just read the book rather than watch this silly movie.
  • That. Was. An. Ordeal.

    1
    By Hesprus.
    Rivals batman v superman as the worst movie I have ever seen. An utter crapfest of rambling nonsense. It physically hurt to watch this. The "stealth suit" effect came across as incredibly annoying and utterly pointless for reasons which I could spend an hour describing. I kinda liked Rory Cochrane's character. But everyone else can go jump feet first into a wood chipper. This movie hurt my sanity, instead of watching this save your money and have a friend pound on your skull with an iron pipe or a cinder block. You will get pretty much the same effect and degree of entertainment.
  • I liked it

    4
    By Spunkybart
    The animation overlay was effective in a way I can't quite put my finger on. I did have trouble following parts, but mostly it was a good psychological sort of movie. And I felt sorry for the guy at the end.
  • This movie I'm woke

    5
    By chelsey & rich
    Great pro drug anti establishment movie with ground breaking animation over video style. Really cool to watch.
  • suffered through the whole thing

    1
    By Enoch Smokey
    I spent this whole movie unable to sympathize with any of the characters - and I tried the whole time through. I was unable to frame their story and experience in any sensible manner. Just some poor dude with family problems now living the dysfunctional, turbulent life of a druggie, betrayed by his friends. The story of the last ten feet to rock bottom. There was a bit of irony in his career, but that wasn't even explained to us. Now, that could just be me. Maybe I'm too slow to pick up on it, and I'd learn more on a second watch. But I couldn't stomach it. My sense is that, if the book was worth reading, that this movie destroyed it. More dissatisfying, even than the tedium suffered throughout the movie, was its conclusion. Clumsy twists made relationships that were supposed to be important seem awkward. And the movie did a poor, hurried, halfhearted job of trying to justify or reconcile these changes. The state of mind of the characters was as frustrating as mysterious, their motives impossible to determine. A bunch of actors struggling to do a great job with this movie, and the composition of it just turned it into a soup sandwich - a bunch of semi-humorous drug references, dosed awkwardly with a bit of seriousness and gravity, then wrapped all up (intentionally, I think, but disastrously) in the confusion of a druggie's life. But that confusion shouldn't have bled over so heavily that it stupifies the audience. Even the visuals were an assault on the eyes... intensified as the movie moved on for effect. At the film's conclusion, the grim fate of our protagonist left me utterly not giving a $#@%. Huge let down.
  • It's a cartoon

    3
    By moonmycron
    I should have watched the trailer; It's a talky cartoon. Could have been so much more, to bad.
  • Thanks for the spoiler!

    1
    By Enjoy the ride
    "...but due to his substance d addiction, he does not know that he is also Bob." Way to go! Thanks for the spoiler. What kind of dumbhead was allowed to write that plot summary?
  • PKD would be proud

    5
    By nocrickets
    The smartest movie yet adapted from or inspired by PKD, and the first one to approach his intellectual and philosophical level. Linklater does a fabulous job of blending the brooding melancholy of Dick's novel with stoner slapstick straight out of Slackers. It's the best and most logical use of Rotoscoping ever -- it both eliminates the need for tacky FX and is the perfect visual metaphor for the characters' alienation and disconnection to reality and to one another. Everyone in the cast -- even Keanu and Winona -- is in top form, and Downey and Cochrane are hilarious. Yes it's often gloomy and gets quite sad, but that's part of its power -- and again, that's nicely balanced with the very funny stuff. Except for Bladerunner, all other PKD movies have been dumbed-down insults to him, but I think he would have loved this. I know I did.
  • A Scanner Darkly

    5
    By danicallais
    This was a really great movie that I think everyone will really like if they give it a chance. Robert Downey, Jr. was great in this movie and his performance was great as usual.
  • I want to live in Orange County

    3
    By Movie is bueno
    This movie takes place in Orange County. Awesome place to film a movie. Movie was good. But had to look away when Keanu put on the disguise that would flash millions of different faces. It gave me a headache. A bit confusing but overall good.

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