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A Scanner Darkly

6.6

17,383

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Original title

A Scanner Darkly

Year

2006

Running time

100 min.

Country

United States

Director

Richard Linklater

Screenwriter

Richard Linklater. Novel: Philip K. Dick

Cast

Music

Graham Reynolds

Cinematography

Animation, Shane F. Kelly

Producer

Warner Independent Pictures

Genre

Animation. Sci-Fi. Fantasy. Drama. Thriller | Adult Animation. Dystopia. Drugs

Movie Groups

Philip K. Dick Adaptations

Synopsis

"A Scanner Darkly" is set in suburban Orange County, California in a future where America has lost the war on drugs. When one reluctant undercover cop (Reeves) is ordered to start spying on his friends, he is launched on a paranoid journey into the absurd, where identities and loyalties are impossible to decode. It is a cautionary tale of drug use based on the novel by Philip K. Dick and his own experiences. "A Scanner Darkly" stars Keanu Reeves, Robert Downey Jr., Woody Harrelson, Winona Ryder and Rory Cochrane and is written for the screen and directed by Richard Linklater. Like a graphic novel come to life, "A Scanner Darkly" will use live action photography overlaid with an advanced animation process (interpolated rotoscoping) to create a haunting, highly stylized vision of the future. The technology, first employed in Richard Linklater's 2001 film "Waking Life," has evolved to produce even more emotional impact and detail.

Rankings Position

#84 Best Animated Works for Adults

Awards: 2006: New York Film Critics Circle: Nominated for Best Animated Film

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Critics' reviews

"The visual style and lethargic pace can be frustrating -- at least if you're sober -- but the animated tragedy is still a succes"

Peter Hartlaub: SFGATE
"A Scanner Darkly is always interesting, but it's not always involving, and it's even less often entertaining."

James Berardinelli: ReelViews
"A visually riveting mind-bender inspired"

Claudia Puig: USA Today
"A Scanner Darkly doesn't quite live up to the promise of its opening sequence, but it's still an audacious offering during a season of brain-dead blockbusters."

Lou Lumenick: New York Post
"It's one of the most faithful movie adaptations of any Dick story to date"

Michael Wilmington: Chicago Tribune
"Linklater's predilection for long takes and improvisation can transform Keanu's nightmare into a bit of a trudge. Still, it's never less than incredibly beautiful to watch"

Paul Arendt: BBC
"For Dick fans, this is pure, uncut, grade-A dope. For others, it’s a series of dizzying moments with an overall downer effect. Still, its intelligence makes it near-essential viewing (...) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)"

Kim Newman: Empire

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Ranking Lists Position

54 My Top 10 Movies from 2006 (57)
80 The Weirdest Movies I Have Ever Watched (49)

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A Scanner Darkly

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