A Scanner Darkly (2006)
An undercover cop's identity dissolves into a surreal, bleak world as a dangerous drug takes hold.
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.
How intense is A Scanner Darkly?
A Scanner Darkly is mildly scary, with light gore and some violence. Emotionally it is heavy. The pace is measured, and it is a full-attention watch and a late-night trip. Rated R.
What A Scanner Darkly feels like
- Tone
- surrealcerebralatmosphericbleak
- Pace
- Measured
- Best for
- Full attentionLate night
Where to stream A Scanner Darkly
US availability via TMDB, last checked Sep 15, 2026. The app filters picks to the services you actually have.
Is A Scanner Darkly for you?
Is A Scanner Darkly scary?
Only a little. A Scanner Darkly has a few tense moments (scare level 1 of 3), nothing that follows you to bed.
Is A Scanner Darkly gory or violent?
Light gore (1 of 3) and some violence (1 of 3).
Is A Scanner Darkly sad or heavy?
It is emotionally heavy (2 of 3). Expect it to land.
Is A Scanner Darkly OK for kids?
It is rated R, so it is made for adults. Intensity: scare 1, gore 1, violence 1, each out of 3.
How long is A Scanner Darkly?
A Scanner Darkly runs 1h 40m.
Where can I stream A Scanner Darkly?
A Scanner Darkly is streaming on Kanopy and YouTube (free).
Does A Scanner Darkly have a happy ending? spoiler-safe answer
It leaves the ending open to interpretation.
Cast and crew
More like A Scanner Darkly
Matched on genre, tone, intensity and pace, not just keywords.
Blade Runner (1982)Mildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavyA gritty, atmospheric Los Angeles detective hunts artificial humans while confronting his own melancholy existence.
Pulp Fiction (1994)Mildly scary · graphic gore · strong violence · emotionally heavyHitmen, molls, and boxers collide in a sprawling, darkly comic crime saga that twists through time.
Predestination (2014)Mildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavyA temporal agent's final mission to prevent a devastating attack becomes a cerebral, pulpy chase through time.
Perfect Blue (1998)Properly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally devastatingA pop idol's new acting career blurs reality and fantasy into a chilling, surreal paranoia.
Metropolis (1927)Mildly scary · strong violence · emotionally heavy · measuredA bleak, surreal, and epic drama unfolds in a futuristic city sharply divided by class.
Spirited Away (2001)Mildly scary · emotionally heavy · measuredA young girl navigates a wondrous spirit world, finding courage as she works to free her transformed parents.
Inception (2010)Mildly scary · strong violence · emotionally heavy · relentlessA relentless, cerebral adventure unfolds as a thief infiltrates dreams to plant an idea.
Severance (2022)Mildly scary · emotionally heavy · measuredOffice workers with surgically split memories uncover a surreal corporate conspiracy with bleak, suspenseful consequences.
Find A Scanner Darkly in
Want five more like A Scanner Darkly?
Tell CouchRot the mood. It picks from what you can actually stream and learns from every rating.
Get CouchRot, it's freeThis product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB. Intensity, tone and pace tags are CouchRot's own.