The film is set in a dystopian near-future America. 20% of the population is addicted to Substance D, a nasty, destructive substance that addicts upon initial use and eventually fries the brain of the user.
What an imaginative film! A gumbo of Dick's paranoia and dystopian futures, William S. Burroughs harrowing drug use and hallucinations, crime noir and dark druggie humor all dished up in the trippy Rotoscope animation. One intriguing concept (and its depiction) is the "scramble suits" worn by the undercover operatives that hides their identity by the constant shifting of features so that the viewer only can grasp a vague idea of what they are seeing. It's one of the key features of the tale whose themes explore reality and the impact of drugs on brain function and perception.
A Scanner Darkly features a well-cast group of actors who seem to stay within familiar personal tropes: Reeves, with his competent yet narrow range pulls up his tough guy routine that has gleaned several franchises; Downey creates one of his most memorable crazy (and over the top) characters; Harrelson revives his patented goofy drughead roles and Ryder, who doesn't stretch too far to play one of the few sympathetic characters in the film.
This is considered by many to be semi-autobiographical of Dick written during a rough patch in his life: with his wife leaving him, his constant use of amphetamines to aid in writing as much as he could to make money, sharing his house with a revolving door of teenage addicts. The novel and the film accurately depict the severe consequences drugs have on people's lives, brain functions and behavior.
It's an intense film, there's a lot going on here on a number of levels. I consider this to be one of the most unique films out there.
The scramble suits were a brilliant device.
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