States of Mind

Philip K. Dick is one of my favorite authors, and I’m pleased to report that after a long series of sometimes intriguing, sometimes entertaining, sometimes awful adaptations of his novels, Richard Linklater has finally made an adaptation that captures the essential spirit of PKD. Read my review of A Scanner Darkly at National Review Online:

A Scanner Darkly is Richard Linklater’s loopy, ramshackle adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s 1977 novel about cops, drugs, and the security state. Whether in offbeat fare like Waking Life or more mainstream work like School of Rock, Linklater often seems to have a soft spot for aimless slackers. Now, with A Scanner Darkly, another quirky, sympathetic ode to the bloodshot ramblings of lunatic losers, he’s officially crowned himself the stoner philosopher king.