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A Scanner Darkly

A Scanner Darkly

Everything is not going to be OK.

2006100 minRMidcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films
Director
Richard Linklater
Starring
Keanu Reeves, Robert Downey Jr., Woody Harrelson, Winona Ryder

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.

Where to watch

Where can I watch A Scanner Darkly?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists A Scanner Darkly to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about A Scanner Darkly?

A Scanner Darkly earns 7 badges, led by Star-studded and One of a kind.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is A Scanner Darkly worth watching?

A Scanner Darkly's Midcredits score is the 83rd percentile of all films, from 239K ratings across 6 sources. 73% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

83rd percentile

Better received than 83% of films

75th percentile among Animation81st percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)81st
Approval (how many liked it)82nd

71 /100

81st percentile of all films

73rd percentile among Animation81st percentile among 2000s

Critics 73 · Audience 70

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.2 — solid but not unanimous.

73% liked it

82nd percentile of all films

75th percentile among Animation80th percentile among 2000s
73% rated it 7–1027% rated it 1–6

Critics 68% · Audience 74%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 3 wins / 20 noms overall

96th percentile

239K ratings across platforms

92nd percentile among Animation93rd percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 4% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$8.7M
Opening weekend$392K
Domestic gross$5.5M
Worldwide gross$7.7M

Returned 0.9× its budget — 59th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film is a deliberately disorienting, talky adaptation that prioritizes mood and Dick's themes over conventional narrative drive.

Fans praised

  • faithful transposition of Dick's novel
  • mind-bending rotoscoping perfectly matched to theme of fractured reality
  • intelligent, bleakly funny dialogue and a spot-on cast

Detractors panned

  • aimless plot and meandering episodes that build to little pay-off
  • annoying, cartoonish characters that hinder emotional investment
  • tedious pacing that makes the film a chore to sit through

What stands out

OriginalityDivisive85

Unique visual style and uncompromising approach to Dick's vision

CinematographyDivisive80

Rotoscoping creates a painterly, hallucinatory look; some find it flat or gimmicky

AtmosphereDivisive80

Paranoid, claustrophobic, and dreamlike world-building that is immersive

ActingDivisive75

Reeves suitably detached; Downey Jr. and Harrelson deliver comedic energy

DialogueDivisive70

Absurd, philosophical banter that splits audiences between witty and tiresome

CharactersDivisive50

Drugged-out archetypes: rich texture for some, grating caricatures for others

Plot and storyDivisive40

Thin, deliberately fractured narrative that frustrates expectations of cause-and-effect

PacingDivisive25

Slow, episodic rhythm that many find dull and momentum-less

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 11 points higher than women.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 6 points apart
  • Critics vs users 9 points apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is A Scanner Darkly like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Dark and unsettling: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready to pay close attention and feel heavy feelings, and you want something dark that stays with you.

It is intense, takes its time and leaves you haunted. Skip it when you want an easy night or you can only half-watch.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Your full attention, room for heavy feelings, patience and a taste for open questions.

What it feels like

Dark and unsettling.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseDreadContemplative
Heaviest: late
Dark humor
Register
Bleak · 8% of filmsSatirical · 5% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its material straight, presenting a bleak and paranoid dystopian vision with occasional dark humour.
The rideThe mood is steadily uneasy and grim, with the heaviest emotional weight concentrated in the final act as identity loss culminates.
StructureThe story unfolds in a linear order following Bob Arctor's undercover mission and his psychological deterioration.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Haunted.

The answer rests on this: Haunting · 14% of filmsThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's unflinching portrayal of addiction and identity loss lingers long after the credits, raising uncomfortable questions about surveillance and sacrifice.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Tragedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9% (this title): Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3% (this title)
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Crushed by fate: Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.

9% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe protagonist is an undercover cop whose addiction and the manipulative system destroy his identity, a descent into wreckage beyond his control.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfIdentitySelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9% (this title)
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% (this title) · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Identity · 14% of filmsAddiction · 1% of filmsDeception · 9% of films
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores how substance abuse and pervasive surveillance dismantle a person's sense of self and capacity to trust.
StanceThe film presents addiction and surveillance as forces that destroy the self, serving as a cautionary tale rather than a celebration.

The world

Near futureUrbanSuburbanInstitutionalScience fiction
AmbientElectronicSupportive music · original score · Graham Reynolds
Settinga near-future American city under pervasive surveillance
MusicThe score uses dissonant electronic textures to reinforce the film's paranoid and disoriented atmosphere.

Content guide

Is A Scanner Darkly okay for kids?

R

A Scanner Darkly is rated R: “Rated R for drug and sexual content, language and a brief violent image” (MPAA). As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (48/100), sexual content at intense (62/100), language at intense (78/100), drug and alcohol content at severe (88/100) and frightening material at intense (63/100). Overall it is heavier than 75% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 15 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany16
  • Ireland18
  • Brazil16
  • Czechia18+
  • FinlandK-16
  • Hungary18
  • Norway15
  • Poland18
  • PortugalM/16
  • RO15
  • Russia16+
  • Spain16
  • Sweden15
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 85% of all filmsHeavier than 75% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 26%
Sex & Nudity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 77%
Profanity
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 70%
Alcohol & Drugs
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 96%
Frightening / Intense
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 51%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Heavy almost across the board: drug and alcohol content, language, frightening material, and sexual content. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does A Scanner Darkly have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in A Scanner Darkly?

Cast

At least 3 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen; 4 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Keanu Reeves
as Bob Arctor
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Robert Downey Jr.
as James Barris
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Woody Harrelson
as Ernie Luckman
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Winona Ryder
as Donna Hawthorne
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Rory Cochrane
as Charles Freck
Mitch Baker
as Brown Bear Lodge Host
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Steven Chester Prince
as Cop
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Natasha Janina Valdez
as Waitress
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Chamblee Ferguson
as Medical Deputy #2
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Angela Rawna
as Medical Deputy #1

Crew

More like this

What are movies like A Scanner Darkly?

Movies like A Scanner Darkly include Blade Runner 2049 (2017), Impostor (2001) and Blade Runner (1982). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films written by Philip K. Dick, and half are cyberpunk films.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

9 of these 12 share its world: dystopian. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with A Scanner Darkly?

635 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: dystopian. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.