A Scanner Darkly (2006)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Richard Linklater

Writers (WGA):

Philip K. Dick (novel)
Richard Linklater (screenplay)

Release Date:

28 July 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Crime | Drama | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

What Does A Scanner See?

Plot:

An undercover cop in a not-too-distant future becomes involved with a dangerous new drug and begins to lose his own identity as a result.

Plot Keywords:

Drugs | Substance | Substance D | Undercover | Undercover Cop

Awards:

2 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Rory Cochrane	...	Charles Freck
Robert Downey Jr.	...	James Barris
Mitch Baker	...	Brown Bear Lodge Host
Keanu Reeves	...	Bob Arctor
Sean Allen	...	Additional Fred Scramble Suit Voice (voice)
Cliff Haby	...	Voice from Headquarters (voice)
Steven Chester Prince	...	Cop
Winona Ryder	...	Donna Hawthorne
Natasha Valdez	...	Waitress
Mark Turner	...	Additional Hank Scramble Suit Voice (voice)
Woody Harrelson	...	Ernie Luckman
Chamblee Ferguson	...	Medical Deputy #2
Angela Rawna	...	Medical Deputy #1
Eliza Stevens	...	Arctor's Daughter #1
Sarah Menchaca	...	Arctor's Daughter #2

MPAA:

Rated R for drug and sexual content, language and a brief violent image.

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Ireland:16 | UK:15 | Australia:M | Finland:K-15 | Italy:T | Singapore:M18 (cut) | New Zealand:R13 | Argentina:16 | USA:R (certificate #42344) | South Korea:15 | Malaysia:18PL (DVD) | Brazil:16 | Japan:R-15 | Germany:16 | Canada:14A (Canadian Home Video rating) | Sweden:15 | Norway:15 (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

Austin, Texas, USA

Company:

Warner Independent Pictures (WIP)

Trivia:

When Arctor is going through the second phase of testing with the medical deputies, the laptop-like machine on which he is being tested is branded as V K mk1. V K stands for Voight Kampff, the test used in "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" (a.k.a. "Blade Runner") by Philip K. Dick, where the test is used to measure the response time and the involuntary reaction of the pupil of the eye, in short, an emotional reaction to determine whether they are humans or androids.

Goofs:

Continuity: Donna's earrings disappear and reappear while she is drinking coffee in the restaurant.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Freck: [on the phone] I looked them up. They're aphids. They're in my hair, on my skin, in my lungs. And the pain, Barris, it's unreasonable. They're all over the place. Oh, they've completely gotten Millie too.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Weight of the Line: Animation Tales (2006) (V)

Soundtrack:

Black Swan

Dick fans and drug film lovers rejoice

I love Philip K. Dick's work and was pleased with this adaptation of "A Scanner Darkly." Keanu Reeves does a really good job in the lead - he's in his element here - but he's really upstaged by Robert Downey Jr. and Woody Harrelson who engage in some surreal and hilarious conversations. It's like you're sitting with a bunch of guys tripping. Needless to say, some of the dialogue is hilarious, and I can see this film becoming another cult classic. (When they talk about two hemispheres being separate, I couldn't help but think about "Repo Man.") As for the animation, I found it a bit distracting. I think I would have preferred the use of CGI when it came to the agent suit that continually blends the faces of about 1 million people so that the agent isn't recognized. If you like drug films, then this is a must see. If that's not your bag, then you might have some problems with the film. It's sometimes obtuse and the story a bit convoluted. It's best to sit back and experience the film. It's a drug trip in itself.