Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Shea Whigham | ... | Phil | |
Jonathan Scarfe | ... | Nick Brady | |
Michael Rothhaar | ... | Herb Bennon | |
Katheryn Winnick | ... | Rachel Brady | |
Scott Wilson | ... | President Fremont | |
Julie Warner | ... | Newscaster #1 | |
Bruce Hensel | ... | Newscaster #2 | |
Rosemary Harris | ... | VALIS (voice) | |
John Prosky | ... | Dr. Goldfarb | |
Kelly Hare | ... | Fremont House Tour Guide | |
Jon Tenney | ... | FBI Agent #1 | |
Rich Sommer | ... | FBI Agent #2 | |
Joel McKinnon Miller | ... | Berkeley Detective | |
Peter Holden | ... | Berkeley Cop | |
Alanis Morissette | ... | Sylvia Aramchek |
Berkeley record store clerk Nick Brady (Jonathan Scarfe) begins to experience strange visions from an entity he calls VALIS that cause him to uproot his family and move to Los Angeles where he becomes a successful music company executive. With the help of best friend, science fiction writer Philip K. Dick himself (Shea Whigam) and a mysterious woman named Silvia (Alanis Morissette), Nick finds himself drawn into a dangerous political-mystical conspiracy of cosmic proportions. The story is set in an alternate reality America circa 1985 under the authoritarian control of President Fremont, a Nixon-like clone (Scott Wilson). Written by Radio Free LLC
Neither as good nor as bad as a lot of reviewers are saying. Flat acting, clumsy sound and cinematography--low levels of energy and interest. I never forgot I was watching a (mostly boring) movie. If you are a serious PKD fan you will want to watch it. If not, the first five minutes will tell you all you need to know--it does not get any better.
It's too talky. Dialogue and narrative seem to be recited pretty much straight from the novel, with little of visual interest on the screen most of the time.
Actors are not good at showing emotion. For instance, a main character is having an intense mystical vision, but in the reaction shots he could just as well be an American watching a cricket match.