# Did "Scanner" just get spoiled for me? \*Spoilers\* **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 28, 2007, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-scanner-just-get-spoiled-for-me-spoilers/428072 "2007-11-28T20:06:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![neorxnawange](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f4b2a3/32.png) [@neorxnawange](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neorxnawange)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2007, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-scanner-just-get-spoiled-for-me-spoilers/428072/1 "2007-11-28T20:06:32Z")
This post is in two parts. Part A: So I’m looking around at suggestions for a movie to rent tonight, I’m in the mood for watching. So I’m browsing on Netflix, looking at descriptions and whatnot. I click on the description for _A Scanner Darkly_, a film I know nothing about. The description paraphrases thus; Future, etc. Rampant abuse of a personality altering drug is causing problems, etc. A cop is out to bust a notorious drug dealer, etc. Then the description says, but the drug dealer turns out to be the cop’s alter ego! with the exclamation mark included. So does this plot point come as a surprise to the audience or would it not really matter that I knew that going in to the film? Part B: Suggest a movie for me to watch tonight. I just watched _Donnie Darko_ lst night and I’m in the mood for something similar, and as good or better. Something I can pick up at the video store on the way home. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2007, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-scanner-just-get-spoiled-for-me-spoilers/428072/2 "2007-11-28T20:41:47Z")
It’s been a while since I’ve read or watched **A Scanner Darkly** , so I’ll gladly defer to folks with fresher views if I’m mistaken at all. While at least one of the PK Dick novels I’ve read was indeed all about the bizarre mindfuck twist at the end, Scanner wasn’t one of them. I don’t recall the details, but the identity issues–the fact that that Bob, the druggie, is also Fred, the cop–are pretty much transparent from the beginning. Glancing at wikipedia’s summary to refresh my memory, it looks like the Bob/Fred thing is open from the very beginning, which squares with my somewhat foggy memory of the details. The film/novel is much more about drug abuse and surveillance, at least for me, than the weird identity stuff that went on in some of his other work. I’m drawing something of a blank on what to watch that might be vaguely similar to **Donnie Darko** , though. Have you ever seen **Dark City**? It’s a few years old (from the late 90s) but may have a similar surreal vibe. \*\*Delicatessen \*\*is also good if you can lay your hands on it and don’t mind subtitles–I’m not sure if it’s on DVD yet though. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2007, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-scanner-just-get-spoiled-for-me-spoilers/428072/3 "2007-11-28T20:43:42Z")
That plot point is revealed pretty early (within the first 5-10 minutes) in the film and indeed, much of the film revolves around the conflict it produces. ---
**Author:** ![joechip236](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/43a26b/32.png) [@joechip236](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joechip236)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2007, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-scanner-just-get-spoiled-for-me-spoilers/428072/4 "2007-11-28T20:52:37Z")
[QUOTE=neorxnawange] So I’m looking around at suggestions for a movie to rent tonight, I’m in the mood for watching. So I’m browsing on Netflix, looking at descriptions and whatnot. I click on the description for _A Scanner Darkly_, a film I know nothing about. The description paraphrases thus; Future, etc. Rampant abuse of a personality altering drug is causing problems, etc. A cop is out to bust a notorious drug dealer, etc. Then the description says, but the drug dealer turns out to be the cop’s alter ego! with the exclamation mark included. So does this plot point come as a surprise to the audience or would it not really matter that I knew that going in to the film? [/QUOTE] The cops in the film (and the novel) wear “scramble suits” that disguise their faces and voices when they’re not working undercover; that way their fellow cops don’t even know who they really are and can’t blow their cover. The Keanu Reeves character is assigned to surveillance of a group of drug users living together (said group includes him, in his undercover identity). That’s established early in the film. ---
**Author:** ![Ghanima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Ghanima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ghanima)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2007, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-scanner-just-get-spoiled-for-me-spoilers/428072/5 "2007-11-28T21:17:32Z")
Not spoiled. And you should rent it tonight. It’s a really good movie. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2007, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-scanner-just-get-spoiled-for-me-spoilers/428072/6 "2007-11-28T22:02:20Z")
It made my stomach feel funny, though. Something about the animation…anyone else get that? ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2007, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-scanner-just-get-spoiled-for-me-spoilers/428072/7 "2007-11-28T22:20:56Z")
…so the Watchers watch themselves? ---
**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2007, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-scanner-just-get-spoiled-for-me-spoilers/428072/8 "2007-11-28T22:33:00Z")
Love the animation thing. Great movie. Robert Downey Jr steals the movie! ---
**Author:** ![neorxnawange](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f4b2a3/32.png) [@neorxnawange](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neorxnawange)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-scanner-just-get-spoiled-for-me-spoilers/428072/9 "2007-11-29T01:53:49Z")
Well, hell. I stopped by the store on the way home and of course they didn’t have _Scanner_, I did pick up _Dark City_, looks good, thanks LawMonkey. I’ll put \*Scanner \* on my Netflix q. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-scanner-just-get-spoiled-for-me-spoilers/428072/10 "2007-11-30T20:59:23Z")
Didn’t see _A Scanner Darkly_, but I love _Dark City_. In a similar vein, may I also recommend the first _Matrix_ movie, and _Memento_? ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-scanner-just-get-spoiled-for-me-spoilers/428072/11 "2007-12-01T01:59:09Z")
Oh, and _Minority Report_. Definitely some mindgames goin’ on there. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-scanner-just-get-spoiled-for-me-spoilers/428072/12 "2007-12-01T03:04:55Z")
[QUOTE=neorxnawange] Well, hell. I stopped by the store on the way home and of course they didn’t have _Scanner_, I did pick up _Dark City_, looks good, thanks LawMonkey. I’ll put \*Scanner \* on my Netflix q. [/QUOTE] NP–hope you like it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![T.O](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@T.O](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/T.O)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-scanner-just-get-spoiled-for-me-spoilers/428072/13 "2007-12-01T03:34:33Z")
It’s not a spoiler. It’s obvious to the viewer pretty much immediately, as it shows the character inside the scramble suit looking out, and it’s obviously the same recognizable face and voice. The character is not aware he is the same person, though. There is a twist later, but it’s not too big of a surprise if you think logically. Oddly enough, my girlfriend figured out the later twist before me, it’s usually the opposite. ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-scanner-just-get-spoiled-for-me-spoilers/428072/14 "2007-12-01T22:37:43Z")
[QUOTE=neorxnawange] Well, hell. I stopped by the store on the way home and of course they didn’t have _Scanner_, I did pick up _Dark City_, looks good, thanks LawMonkey. I’ll put \*Scanner \* on my Netflix q. [/QUOTE] Um, about _Dark City_ – if you haven’t seen it, and want to avoid spoilers, try and get somebody who _has_ seen it to skip the opening narration and pause the movie for you at the beginning of the bathtub scene. That’s my recommendation; great movie.