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IMDb > A Scanner Darkly (2006)
A Scanner Darkly
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A Scanner Darkly (2006) More at IMDbPro »

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A Scanner Darkly (2006) -- 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.
A Scanner Darkly (2006) -- 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.

Overview

User Rating:
7.2/10   35,392 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 11% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Richard Linklater
Writers (WGA):
Philip K. Dick (novel)
Richard Linklater (screenplay)
Contact:
View company contact information for A Scanner Darkly on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
28 July 2006 (USA) more
Tagline:
What Does A Scanner See? more
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. full summary | full synopsis
Awards:
2 wins & 6 nominations more
User Comments:
Breathtaking! Linklater Scores With A Gem. more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

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
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Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated R for drug and sexual content, language and a brief violent image.
Runtime:
100 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Colour:
Colour
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby Digital | SDDS | DTS
Filming Locations:
Austin, Texas, USA more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Terry Gilliam originally wanted to make a motion picture version of the novel in the early 1990s. more
Goofs:
Continuity: During the first psychological test, the 'dog' and 'pyramid' cards disappear from the table after Bob puts them down. more
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.
more
Movie Connections:
Featured in One Summer in Austin: The Story of Filming 'A Scanner Darkly' (2006) (V) more
Soundtrack:
Fog more

FAQ

Is Substance D based on a real drug? What are its effects?
Which girl (Donna or Connie) did Arctor sleep with, and why did she seem to transform?
What is the name of the song in the trailer?
more
104 out of 140 people found the following comment useful:-
Breathtaking! Linklater Scores With A Gem., 12 July 2006
10/10
Author: roarkish from United States

I am not a huge Linklater fan. His films usually give me a good laugh(Slacker, Dazed and Confused) or they present interesting concepts that will stir up good conversation(Waking Life) or they are for children(School of Rock). I don't consider him a great filmmaker but I would consider him an interesting storyteller and probably a great guy to talk to.

A Scanner Darkly changes everything. Even though Phillip K. Dick wrote it, Richard adapted the screenplay perfectly. I found that the film ran like a combination of Tarantinoesque chronology(Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs) and a Nolanesque confusion(Memento). The rotoscoping animation was used perfectly to highlight the cinematography. I left the theater with a sort of David Lynchish feel(Lost Highway, Mullholland Drive) but the plot lines were actually sewn up more neatly.

Having seen the film only once, in no way am I saying that A Scanner Darkly compares with the films I've mentioned, but with multiple viewings I am guessing that I may rank it somewhere close.

I can certainly see how someone that has never taken any psychedelics or ingested any type of psychotropic substance might feel less enthusiastic about some of the themes but I can't see them denouncing the film for that reason.

If you have ever gone on a "trip" then you will be instantly able to relate to some of the particular scenes.

I thought that everyone acted brilliantly in their particular roles. Keanu's agent should win some sort of award. Mr. Reeves is not in any way a credit to Shakespeare but his agent always seems to find certain roles that suit Keanu's tendencies.

I think it is undoubtable that this film becomes a cult classic. I hope it fares well at the box office because I would like to believe that the world is starting to appreciate good film more than it has of late.

If you enjoy a good "mind-bender" of a film that doesn't stop resonating in your head until days after you have seen it, then A Scanner Darkly is for you. If you go to the theater simply for spoon-fed entertainment, see this film anyway and hopefully you will wake up and have an original thought some time soon.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for A Scanner Darkly (2006)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
I don't get the title. I don't get Robert Downey Jnr's zhitty acting Charlie_Big_Potatoes
Hank is Fred who is Bob correct? Spoilers manny_p42
Other books like this? gokuguy
Frecking Amazing lestereheli
woahhh what the hell happened Deppgurl734
What other films would look good like this? zodiac1251
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