Link works for me on laptop and phone.

It's really astounding. The opening at least is shot-for-shot, line-for-line identical. This isn't something you can pass off as accidental after having read the original several years ago.

It's quite a good film, tho; the acting and cinematography (Matthew Irving) are terrific, and the music is good, if a bit obtrusive. If anything, it's the source material that's weak. A film critic is fed up with art-house directors and the critics who like them? Meh.

No really Teague, tell us what you really think.

/joke

Seriously though. I'm just gonna let this one play out before I start making any judgements or start casting down the almighty hell fires of hades down upon the bastard Shia.

Waaaaay to many times does thing kind of thing wind up being some sensationalized misunderstanding or miscommunication.

Ok, I am not familiar with all the technical terms in the film industry, so bear with me, but you can't submit unoriginal work to Cannes, right?

Inspiration is one thing, LIFTING WHOLE LINES OF DIALOGUE AND IMAGES DOWN TO THE FRAME, is fucking stealing.  I, much like Shia, am a fan of Daniel Clowes.  I, much like Shia, read the original comic.  I'm sorry but this is beyond inspiration.  You having similar opinions on Surrogates to Cracked is one thing, but if you on our podcast literally read Cracked's description of the movie and did not credit them, you would be stealing too. 

I like Shia a lot, I have respected his work.  But the evidence here is damning.  I highly recommend watching his film and reading the aforementioned book.  It dispels any idea that Shia was "inspired."

I'd be willing to bet the comic artist would've let him do it for free, and happily, if he'd just asked and given credit where due.

Ya. I get sort of where Teague would be coming from hypothetically, as we're a community with more than one fan filmmaker, and have espoused in the past "ask forgiveness, not permission", but verbatim stealing other people's work uncredited is NEVER ok.

You would get expelled from University if you pulled that shit, and fired if you tried it at work.
ESPECIALLY for someone high profile and rich like Shia, who's been in the business long enough to know better.

Also, Patton Oswalt is crushing this on Twitter right now.