A Scanner Darkly

                            Imagine living in a world where the war on drugs was all but lost; a world where easy access to the latest mind-altering narcotic led to a much larger percentage of the population being addicted. Can you imagine being so paranoid about being watched that you would sell out your own friends to the police? Paranoia so intense that you could no longer discern what’s real from what’s not? What if you could not even distinguish yourself from somebody else? These ideas are exactly what are addressed in the film “A Scanner Darkly.”

Based off of Philip K. Dick’s novel, the story concerns Bob Arctor (Keanu Reeves), a junkie hooked on a drug called Substance D. He and his friends are the subjects of constant video surveillance by an undercover police officer named Fred (Keanu Reeves) trying to locate their source of Substance D. While the group goes about their everyday routine of taking tabs of D and having absurdly humorous conversations and outings, suspicion and mistrust set in and someone is out to expose Arctor for who he may or may not be.

I have to start off by saying that this is one of the most faithful film adaptations of a book that I have ever seen. The pairing of Philip K. Dick and Richard Linklater on this particular story was definitely a wise choice, since Linklater’s style embodies “slacker” characters having a series of varied conversations mostly exploring deeper themes that are bigger than themselves. This perfectly compliments Dick’s novel, since it follows a group of addicts’ mundane lifestyle while subtly addressing issues of identity and society as well as drug addiction. Present as well is Dick’s bizarre sense of humor amidst all the drama of the situation. The characters are such stoners that they get into ridiculous debates and fits of paranoia and delusion that one can’t help but laugh at how absurd they are. An example of this is when Luckman (Woody Harrelson) observes how Barris (Robert Downey Jr.) was gypped on the 18-speed bike bought off the street since it only has nine gears, six on one end and three on the other.

This blend of comedy and drama and the smooth transition between the two helps to strengthen the statement on drug use by simulating, in a way, the highs and lows of drug use for the audience. One second the scenes will be light-hearted and humorous and the next it will be eerie and twisted. It’s a well-handled motif that is evenly paced throughout the film and works well to unsettle and settle the audience. Of course the other more obvious style choice was Linklater using interpolated rotoscoping again. A process he previously used in “Waking Life,” interpolated rotoscoping is a process where they film the scenes on location with the actors and have artists digitally paint over everything, in this instance making it look like a living comic book. This unique look to the film enhances the audience’s perception of drug use since it’s not entirely fabricated but definitely not real. Also, it allows for Linklater to show his characters delusions seamlessly with what’s happening in the story and to be creative in how he depicted the scanner’s surveillance. But by far the most impressive visual aspect of “Scanner” is the scramble suit. Worn by Fred and other undercover cops when working at the office, it is a suit which generates about a million and a half fraction representations of men, women and children, making him look like a constantly shifting blur. It perfectly serves to maintain his cover and is always a wonder to look at when it’s onscreen.

The cast deserves credit for accurately portraying such interesting characters. Reeves once again shows that his is a talented actor when he is cast in a part that suits him. He gives Arctor/Fred the humanity that the character needs in order for the audience to sympathize with his situation of gradually breaking down and becoming uncertain of reality. Downey Jr. serves as a nice contrast to Reeves in that he is so out there it’s almost hypnotic to watch him act. Though he is well known for playing characters with such a confident and focused sense of kookiness, he continues to keep it fresh and he shines here. It’s good to see Woody Harrelson again and just as funny as ever as Luckman. The characters insane ramblings and rush to action are well suited to Harrelson’s strengths. It’s also a welcome return to form for Winona Ryder as Donna. Arguably the most levelheaded of the group, she still has little quirks that play well in Ryder’s performance.

“A Scanner Darkly” is many things: a visual feast, a comedy, a thriller, and a mind-screw of a movie. But most importantly it’s an important personal statement about drugs. This story is not overly preachy in it’s anti-drug statement but that statement becomes more apparent when you realize his focus is merely to show the consequences that result from drug use. This film conveys the sentiment that it can start out as fun and games but ultimately you are sucked into a lifestyle where you cannot escape unscathed. Dick originally wrote this novel about his own experiences with drugs and dedicated it to his good friends that died or were otherwise damaged from their usage. It’s a shocking but touching tribute and Linklater honors Dick’s work with his honest and faithful adaptation.