This strange story is set in a future where America has lost the war on drugs. Fred is an undercover cop who has gotten hooked on a popular drug. The drug has caused him
to develop a split personality, Bob - a drug dealer. Fred works with his superiors to catch Bob. To make it more complicated - when Fred's co-workers see Bob they don't know it's really Fred. All undercover police wear scramble suits that change their appearances, so Fred's colleauges don't really know what he looks like.
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A Scanner Darkly (2006) - Rated R - 1 hr 40 min
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Mitch Baker, Robert Downey Jr., Winona Ryder, Woody Harrelson
Directed by: Richard Linklater Screenplay by: Richard Linklater
Genre: Action/Adventure, Drama, Science Fiction, Animation
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Based on A Scanner Darkly (1977) - 288 pages
Author: Philip K. Dick
Style: Third Person
Genre: Science Fiction
I'm looking forward to seeing A Scanner Darkly - but not because of the story. Based on the reviews, the story seems better suited to the book and for good reason. Philip Dick's convoluted tale follows an undercover cop who has gotten into drugs himself and ends up helping his fellow officers set himself up - but nobody knows it's him. In an interesting twist - the drugs create split personalities and the cops hide undercover agents in "scramble suits". So noone knows what the main character really looks like and he doesn't even realize that he's got another personality dealing drugs. What a crazy story!! I'm not even sure that I explained it right since it's so confusing! But it makes it sound pretty cool to read - if for no other reason, then to get the story straight for myself.
On screen though... it sounds complicated. And that's what I got out of most of the reviews. But I'd still like to see it just for the stylization of the movie. They've made the whole thing look like a graphic novel brought to life. Looks cool and it got some good comments on it's visual presentation! Unfortunately the story just doesn't seem to keep up on screen. Maybe reading the book first would make a difference. That would be my recommendation. It might take out at least some of the confusion factor. Stars Keanu Reeves, Mitch Baker, Robert Downey Jr., Winona Ryder and Woody Harrelson. Produced by George Clooney.
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