A Scanner Darkly (theatrical release)

Release Date: 7/14/06
Starring Keanu Reeves, Robert Downey Jr., Woody Harrelson, Winona Ryder
Directed by Richard Linklater
Written by Richard Linklater, Philip K Dick (novel)
Rated R
Chuck's Rating: 8/10

Films based on Philip K. Dick's futuristic, paranoid writing have always been a mixed bag. Generally, the film adaptations have a thought provoking concept, but never really expand upon it, opting instead for mindless action. The best of the bag is probably Spielberg's Minority Report, which managed to balance both fairly well. A Scanner Darkly is a talky affair with no action anywhere to be found, and because of this, the viewer is treated to a whole different side of Dick's futuristic dystopia.

Richard Linklater, the Texas based filmmaker whose most well known works included Slacker, Dazed and Confused, and School Of Rock, isn't the most obvious choice to direct this movie, but one look at his dreamy headtrip Waking Life is enough to see that he obviously has some idea of how to navigate this territory. To start, he uses a procedure known as rotoscoping (also used on Waking Life). Rotoscoping is the process of filming scenes live action and then having animators paint over them in post production. The effect renders the film animated looking, and in the case of this film, rather bizarre looking. Considering the subject matter this film deals with, it becomes obvious that this is a perfect visual choice.

Keanu Reeves plays Bob Arctor, an undercover cop investigating users of a drug called Substance D, which is apparently highly addictive. He lives with several users of the drug, including his girlfriend Donna (Winona Ryder), and a paranoid nutcase named Barris (Robert Downey Jr.). Arctor, however, is addicted to Substance D. His coworkers have no way of knowing this however, because he wears a suit around his office that makes his face and body become a rotating series of random features, thus concealing his identity. Substance D, however, apparently causes the left and right sides of the brain to come apart and fight each other, so Arctor may not even be aware of the fact that he is investigating himself.

From here we see Arctor in a variety of situations, on both sides of the law, while his friends wax philosophical in the form of lots of talky, paranoid monologues about existence in general and a ton of other subjects. The majority of these monologues are given to Robert Downey Jr., who is absolutely brilliant. It's a real shame he has such a messed up personal life, because he's one of the better actors of our time. His constant struggles with the law seem to cause people to forget that sometimes. The other acting is also solid. Woody Harrelson plays a kook very well, and Keanu Reeves, despite being a fairly maligned screen presence, doesn't do anything to stretch his range. It is also nice to see Rory Cochrane (Empire Records and Linklater's own Dazed and Confused) pop up in a supporting role. He showed real charisma in his 1990's rolls before more or less disappearing. It's baffling why he hasn't worked more since).

The rather obtuse nature of the plot will scare some away, but this is one of the more original, visually interesting, thought provoking movies to hit theatres and quite awhile, and it is definitely a refreshing alternative to the typical superhero movies and sequels of the the summer movie season.