hyped garbage

As somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.

The acting in this movie is really good.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

I was pretty unaware of this movie for a long time, and probably didn't see it until a good decade after it was made, and it seemed to me at the time, when I caught it on television, that it came off as kind of like how a made for TV movie should, so that's what I was under the impression I was watching. A few years later, and I've just gotten around to seeing it again, and it was basically just as I had remembered really, the thing that attracts most people to want to watch this is probably the drugs, and I can certainly say that it reminds me of my own time at certain music festivals, which I also wouldn't experience until a good decade after this film was made.Devon Sawa is one of those 90's actors that all young people will remember because of his slew of teenager flicks, which is what usually draws a crowd it seems to me, so I wonder why this film is so unknown? The acting is hammy, but if you're in the mood for some mindless, at times wholesome, at times not-so-wholesome entertainment, then this will fit in nicely, but if you're looking for this to be 'SLC Punk' or 'Requiem For A Dream' then I wouldn't bother with this, because the movie's message really isn't the same. It displays both sides of the argument pretty well, the drugs are bad thing is displayed when he ends up in rehab. Whatever, this one earns a solid 7.AROUND THE FIRE---- 7/10

After reading the comments about this movie being about how drugs are bad and how it's an anti drug movie...I feel that the commentators are incorrect.This is NOT an anti drug movie. This was a movie about UNDERSTANDING self with or without the use of drugs.In one scene the counselor makes a comment how people who use drugs can have no problems, some have minor problems and some all they do is have problems. So. it's not like there is a lecture on "DON'T USE DRUGS".With a budget of just over 1 million dollars, this was an excellent example of both points of view. And no, the main character was not in rehab cause he was addicted, it was because he was busted by cops.It's nice to see a movie about LSD/ACID and not have the characters act like total idiots or be outrageous losers. Not all ravers/hippies are losers and yes...some do actually hold jobs and get great grades in school...I was one of them.The only problem I had with this film was that either the director had virtually no idea what acid/lsd does or weed, because the visions for lsd were not pshycadelic enough and the effects didn't match up anywhere what a real acid trip would be like.A typical acid trip would change the person to be almost unstable for anyway between 8 to 16 hours. Whereas the characters in this film were basically only stoned for a mere matter of minutes, then were straight faced again.Also the weed was either total garbage or the characters weren't inhaling. Pot smokers...and you know who you are...will realize that when you smoke weed, you are very outgoing and talkative and have a more poignant view on life. The stuff they smoked had to be cut with peppermint tea or lawn clippings, because their vocabulary was kinda dull and their conversations didn't lead to any enlightenment.This film will not win any Oscars or other trophies, even though it beats out some that are nominated, but it is a good product which is not too far fetched.Anti-drug??? No...not at all.Also Stephen Tobolowsky is awesome, as always...would've loved to see more. Can this guy do no wrong? A few more minutes with the Doc character would have made this even better...maybe there was and is still in the can or the cutting room floor...anyways, Stephen Tobolowsky has a bit part, but he does his role great.The hippie cop was so obvious...from first second, I knew he was POPO.A few more minutes of film would have been greatly appreciated and the flashbacks could have been cleaned up a bit...I found them too overcast and visually harsh.Performances were good, soundtrack was awesome. Lighting (flashbacks aside) was very well done.Overall, I was please that I purchased this movie and with the small budget that this movie had, it accomplished much more than films with an 80 million dollar budget (League of Extraordinary Garbage...err I mean Gentlemen), Terminator 3 - Rise of the Machines, Batman/action hereos, Matrix 1,2 and 3 and so many more big Hollywood Tom Cruise/Vin Diesel/Arnold/Halle Berry/Harrison Ford flicks.Imagione...with the fraction of a paycheck that the big stars get, this movie company and many other independents can make better stories and be more interesting than the big so called blockbusters.This film was o.k. and hell, with only minor oversights...there is no loss.I'm glad to see that the characters didn't get all stupid or addicted or lose their entire life because they smoked a joint and dropped cid.

Caught this on cable the other night and was thoroughly mesmerized. An insightfully written and extremely well-realized piece about a young man's torturous journey to truth and inner peace, this film manages to avoid all the stereotypical, superficial claptrap inherent in this sort of story. At its core is a great performance by Canadian actor Devon Sawa, who brings complexity, turmoil and intelligence to the part of Simon. I will definitely be on the lookout for more of his work. Highly recommended.

The characters were one dimensional, the plot was meandering and devoid of intelligence, meaning, or originality. It both amazes and disgusts me that this film even got past the cutting room. For a good drug culture film, see Half-Baked. It's not realistic either, but at least it's funny as hell, which is its own validation. Validation is something this film lacks completely. Don't waste your time. On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being superb (see Wonderful Life, or any Thin Man film, or Heinlen's Puppet Masters) and 1 being Mariah Carey's Glitter, I give this film -5 which ties it with any production Roseann has ever been even remotely involved in.