MPAA Rating: R/Genre: Adult Animated Psychological Sci-Fi Thriller/Stars: Keanu Reeves, Robert Downey Jr., Woody Harrelson, Winona Ryder, Rory Cochrane, Chamblee Ferguson, Angela Rawna, Mitch Baker, Lisa Marie Newmyer, Dameon Clarke, Hugo Perez, Jason Douglas, Marco Perella, Alex Jones, Turk Pipkin; Voices of: Sean Allen, Mark Turner, Leif Anders/Runtime: 100 minutes
I think it is safe to start this review off by saying that if you made a list of the top ten most forward-thinking sci-fi writers, I am of the belief that, besides Jules Verne and H.G. Wells of course, the name Phillip K. Dick should undoubtedly be on that list as well. Indeed, here is a man who has consistently seen his body of work consistently heralded as revelatory and prophetic due to how eerily similar some of his stories seem to show a path that our modern-day world seems to be in fact traveling on. Perhaps this is also why we see that the land of movie magic has had success with his various works with such examples including Blade Runner in 1982, Minority Report in 2002, and even the iconic Ahnullldddd gem Total Recall from 1990 respectively. Yet out of that catalogue of work there is one that I think doesn’t get nearly enough love as it ought to and that would be Richard Linklater’s 2006 adaptation of A Scanner Darkly. Indeed whereas a lot of the other adaptations pushed to the side Phillip’s thoughts on the misdirection and essence of pondering one’s existence in favor of being fun and/or riveting sci-fi, this slice of cinema instead chooses to wonderfully embrace these elements wholeheartedly throughout. More than that though, this slice of cinema is able to showcase what the other genuinely good adaptations weren’t quite able to and present us with the narrative, tone, and most crucial of all the questions that the original source material presented the reader with. Yet perhaps the most intriguing element is how the film’s helmer chooses to present this story in such a relatable and yet off manner that it actually causes you to start questioning what you were seeing unfold before you much like the fairly damaged characters in the story themselves. As a result, there is a nuanced intellect to this film that might go undetected should you just simply view this as “yet another slice of cinema dealing with the various misadventures of a group of druggies”. More than that though, this slice of cinema might be one that has its fair share of flaws, but it also proves to be one that through the talented work done both behind and in front of the camera by its immensely well-chosen and skilled cast of players might not be for everyone, but for the audience willing to give it a shot presents them with a surreal, mournful, and yet also a tad bit upbeat tale unlike any they will have seen before.
The plot is as follows: An adaptation of the iconic novel of the same name by the legendary author Phillip K. Dick, A Scanner Darkly takes us 7 years into a possible future where life is still as we know it, but there is one distinct exception that has made life a nightmare. That being that the war on drugs has all but been lost. We quickly learn that the chief culprit behind this dour footnote is a potent concoction known as Substance D. A drug that is not only highly addictive, with at least 1/5th of the population hooked, but which eventually causes a series of increasingly strange hallucinations before then causing the addict serious to say nothing of potentially irreparable brain damage. It is in this dire future therefore that we are dropped off in Orange County, California where we meet our main hero who takes the shape and form of an undercover narc known simply by his code name Fred. A man whose identity is able to stay secret due in large part to a suit that he wears which continually changes up his physical appearance and voice. For our purposes though, we shall reveal to you that the man’s true identity is of one Bob Arctor and who, when our film opens, we see is currently undercover in a small-time group of Substance D users comprised of continuously panicky Charles Freck, pseudo-intellectual James Barris, and laidback yet prone to outbursts Ernie Luckman respectfully to see if any of them can lead him higher up the ladder to the manufacturer of the drug itself. Yet we soon see that this assignment has had quite the toll on Arctor to the extent that he too is now hopelessly addicted to Substance D which he buys from a woman named Donna and who he also has a quasi-sorta romantic relationship with. However, it isn’t long before not only does one of Arctor’s “friends” in the drug community decide to try and sell him out to the authorities, but to make matters worse Arctor starts to lose control of his psychological wellbeing thus making it increasingly that much more difficult for him to distinguish between his cover and who he truly is. Thus, as the lines begin to blur and the walls start to close in, we see that our hero begins to descend rapidly into an abyss made up of equal parts paranoia, anxiety, and addiction. An abyss incidentally that will eventually lead him to a point that yes might be bleak and heartbreaking, but is one that given just how far he has gone might also perhaps be inevitable as well…..
Now in terms of the work done behind the camera, I can safely say that perhaps the biggest element that is worth discussing is how this particular movie was brought to life. I say that because, rather than film it in live-action, Linklater decided to tap into the vibe of uncertainty that is very much a key element to the source material and present this tale to us through what is known as rotoscoped animation. For some this might be a bit of an issue because it’s hard to discern exactly what is going on at certain points to say nothing of the fact that everything looks a bit on the blurry side. Yet I don’t think that is by any means the negative some may think it is. Rather, I would say that’s a positive. Not only because it gives the film the feeling, in some ways, of a graphic novel come to life, but because like Substance D does to the characters the animation helps to put you in the same haze and sense of disorientation that they are living in whilst ensuring the truth is continuously just out of grasp. Suffice it to say than that with the animated format in which this slice of cinema takes place in, the haze and distortion is not meant to rob you of comprehending the story or the characters themselves. Rather, in a weirdly effective way it helps you get into the mind of these characters a bit better than you might have otherwise. Along with the animation, it should also be said that this slice of cinema is the blessed recipient of a terrific musical accompaniment from Graham Reynolds that proves to be just as wonderfully trippy as nearly every other element present in this film. Finally, I also think praise should once again be given to Linklater for an incredible job at quite faithfully adapting this story for the silver screen. To be sure, there is a wee bit of a goofy vibe here that feels like it was transferred here from Dazed and Confused, but Linklater nonetheless still manages to capture everything that has made the source material as genuinely timeless as it has been all these years from the unforgettable dialogue between the eclectic collection of characters all the way to how the story is able to brilliantly blend together of weird yet perversely funny comedy and surreal yet heartbreaking in its own way tragedy. Suffice it to say that it might be a bit difficult for some to comprehend and the narrative might be a bit too thin for others to really invest in, but by and large the work done behind the camera really isn’t too bad all things considering.
Of course, for such a disorienting and topsy-turvy slice of cinema to work on the level that it’s supposed to, it should also possess some truly top-tier work from the cast of players it chooses to assemble in front of the camera. In that respect, it should be noted that it is no mere coincidence that Linklater chose to bring together Keanu Reeves, Robert Downey Jr., Woody Harrelson, Winona Ryder, and Rory Cochrane to star in this slice of cinema. Not just because they are all brilliant performers mind you, but because each of them has, be it in reel life or real life, more than shared a glance with drugs in some form or fashion to put it politely. Yet even with that in mind dear reader, we see that this slice of cinema is able to beautifully wipe the slate clean and permit this quintet, and through them each and every one of us in the audience, to push their distinct off-screen reputations to the wayside in order to give us the skilled and immensely talented performances that each of them are regarded for bringing time and time again. This starts with Keanu Reeves and I know that at the time this slice of cinema was made, there was doubt about the man’s ability to be seen as a “serious actor” due to how inexpressive he can be, but honestly I feel he does a fantastic job here in the lead role of Bob. Indeed here is a guy who is supposed to have more than a slight air of uncertainty and alienation to him due to the fact that he, and us by extension, is never quite sure what is real and what is a product of his rapidly decaying brain cells (his own identity included). Suffice it to say that if you are looking for an actor who can play someone who is never sure of what is real and what is not then who better than Neo himself? That and it also doesn’t hurt that Reeves does manage to bring a wonderful degree of insightfulness to the part as well courtesy of several brief yet impactful monologues that the character has throughout which not only tell you a bit more about him, but also make you feel a twinge of sympathy towards him as well especially when you see the heartbreaking way that Bob’s story ends in this. We also get a wonderful turn here from Rory Cochrane in the role of one of Arctor’s drug pals Charles Freck. Indeed Cochrane has always been one of our more underrated talents and here he does a painfully good job at portraying a guy who is drowning in his addiction to Substance D and as such may be able to comprehend just how far down the rabbit hole he has gone, but is also sadly no longer in a position psychologically to want to do anything about it. Now in terms of the work done here by Winona Ryder I will say that her performance in this is absolutely well-done. Yes, there is more to her character than initially meets the eye, but Ryder does a great job at handling the mystery surrounding Donna in such a way that when certain things are revealed about her, they do prove to be genuinely surprising instead of being telegraphed from a mile away. Far and away though I think the MVP of the film in terms of casting though has to be Robert Downey Jr. in the role of James Barris. Indeed Downey has always been one of my favorite performers and here he is fantastic as this guy who is equally as skilled at both acting like the smartest person in the room whilst also covertly stabbing everyone else in the room in the back as well. Suffice it to say that it’s a wonderfully sleazy yet also comical performance and one that Downey is able to sink his teeth into and really bring to life in a way that only a performer of his caliber could.
All in all I can’t lie to you dear reader: the 2006 cinematic adaptation of A Scanner Darkly is most assuredly not a slice of cinema that everyone will be able to pick up, sit down, and enjoy. This is because not only is this very much a film that is designed to make you think just as much as entertain you, but also because there will be those out there who feel, for all the positives this film does possess, there is one that it is lacking. Namely that it doesn’t quite live up to the brilliant source material, to say nothing of author, that inspired its creation. To be sure, this slice of cinema is by no means a perfect film. I mean just the act of being able to fully get your mind where it needs to be to fully enjoy this movie can be quite the consuming process both in terms of time and brain power especially if you’re not willing to put yourself in the mindset of the characters. That and the way that the story is presented via an animated format meant to make you feel like you, the viewer are in just as much of a drug-induced haze as the characters can be quite the deal breaker for people who think that this particular story could have been told just as effectively in a live action format. Having said that though, there is no denying that this slice of cinema does do a fairly great job at both capturing the paranoid and alienated tone of its literary source whilst also making the most of the phenomenal talent that has been assembled on both sides of the camera to bring this as vividly to life as we ultimately get here. Thus if you are the kind of person who is not willing to take a chance on a slice of cinema that might be a bit on the complex side and require you to see it at least two times in order to grasp the full extent of the story then you might wish to look elsewhere for something to watch today. On the other hand, if you are the kind of person who has been on the lookout for something distinct and well-made yet is also willing to challenge your psyche every step of the way to the point that you will find yourself needing to see it more than once then give this film a try and then come on back here. I imagine you and I will have quite a bit to discuss. On a scale of 1-5 I give A Scanner Darkly “06” a solid 3.5 out of 5.
