A Scanner Darkly (2006)

Director: Richard Linklater
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Robert Downey Jr., Woody Harrelson

Synopsis:
An undercover narcotics cop begins to lose touch with reality as he becomes addicted to a psychotropic drug known as Substance D.

Impressions:
I can remember this catching my eye at the time due to its art style, which looks like a cel-shaded wash of live-action footage, a technique known as interpolated rotoscoping that is particular to animator Bob Sabiston and was also used in director Richard Linklater's earlier film Waking Life. This was around the time Robert Downey Jr. was getting himself back in sorts and rehabilitating his career and Keanu Reeves was still riding the high of The Matrix. There are some interesting elements here such as the mindscrew effects of Substance D, the dynamics of our little quartet of druggies (who include Woody Harrelson and Winona Ryder), and the look of the scramble suits. However, the narrative is a bit muddy (which you could argue is inevitable in a story where reality is warped) and the ending isn't particularly satisfying, though you can say it fits with the bleak tone of the story. As a technical achievement and a unique experience if nothing else, it's worth checking out, but I can't quite bring myself to give it a full-fledged recommendation. Watch the trailer or something and if that's enough to intrigue you, you may find it worth a watch.

Rating:
50/50