How does Keanu Reeves end up in so many interesting flicks?
Ever since "Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey," he has pretty much played the same dopey, heroic, straight man, and he doesn't mix it up with any new acting ability in "A Scanner Darkly."
Although, it doesn't matter that Reeves is competing with Ben Affleck as the worst actor ever because Reeves surrounds himself with highly innovative filmmakers — Francis Ford Coppola ("Dracula"), Andy and Larry Wachowski ("The Matrix") and Mike Mills ("Thumbsucker").
Most recently, Reeves made the intelligent decision, or perhaps one of his assistants helped him out, to work with director Richard Linklater ("Waking Life," "SubUrbia").
The rotoscoped film — done in live action, then traced over to become animated — "A Scanner Darkly" relies more heavily on a thrilling futuristic plotline and creative visual setting, than Reeves' acting talents —thank goodness.
Adapted from Philip K. Dick's 1977 novel of the same name, Reeves plays Bob Arctor, an undercover narcotics agent in the not-too-distant future. Set in California, Arctor uses and attempts to catch other users of the futuristic drug — Substance D.
Arctor has a whole slew of drug buddies ranging from the mellow Donna Hawthorne (Winona Ryder) to the smooth-talking James Barris (Robert Downey Jr.) and the spacey Ernie Luckman (Woody Harrelson) hanging out and living at his house.
The best dialogue comes from the banter between Luckman and Barris, since petty arguments between heavy drug users never get old. Also, the random witty conversation between the two allows Arctor to kind of just go with the flow — very Keanu-ish.
Rory Cochrane, who you may remember as Lucas from "Empire Records," fights through all the star power to create a very memorable and very paranoid Charles Freck. He's constantly freaking out and under the belief that bugs are crawling all over him in a very funny and believable manner.
As for the rotoscope animation, it never distracts the viewer from the plotline and is a nice substitute to pompous and ultra- commercialized Pixar animation. Sporadically, the rotoscoped animation does draw attention to itself, but in a very clever and visually thought-provoking manner.
The film effectively draws you in because you're constantly questioning which characters are working with Arctor, or against him, or are just too drugged out to tell the difference between a crack in the sidewalk and a blade of grass on the lawn.
Very unfortunately and most frustratingly, "A Scanner Darkly" isn't currently showing anywhere in the Lansing area because we don't have an art theater, or any place willing to show a film with a bit of an edge to it.
Thank goodness "John Tucker Must Die" and "Miami Vice" are coming to town this weekend — not.
So if you have the money for gas, make the trip to Ann Arbor and visit the Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty, or head to Royal Oak and visit the Landmark Main Art Theatre, 118 N. Main St., to experience a highly original and enthralling film.
