A Scanner Darkly

Right now you can watch A Scanner Darkly in the US on Kanopy — and it goes further with its ideas than most genre entertainment bothers to. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. A 7/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Keanu Reeves sets the tone, and the world-building does the rest. Put it on tonight on Kanopy and see for yourself.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, A Scanner Darkly earns its spot. The world-building is meticulous, but it is the characters who carry A Scanner Darkly through its more ambitious moments. 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. Keanu Reeves and Robert Downey Jr. Lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2006. The rules of A Scanner Darkly's world are consistent enough that the big swings never feel like cheating. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

Viewers burned by ambitious sci-fi that could not sustain its premise should give A Scanner Darkly a chance. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. Short enough to finish in one sitting, substantial enough to feel satisfying. Keanu Reeves anchors it with a performance that makes the more abstract moments feel personal. If you have been burned by ambitious sci-fi before, this is the exception.