A new psychedelic short film called Debbie and Doug Drop Acid in the Desert came out last week. It’s an extremely wild ride that tells a fictional tale about a married couple venturing out into the desert and taking LSD in an effort to save their failing relationship. And you can watch it today for free at TripIntoLove.com.
The opening scene features Debbie and Doug just a moment before taking their doses. Right as they are about to pop the colorful blotters of acid into their mouths, the narrative abruptly flashes back in time and the audience gets its first glimpse into some of their underlying relationship issues.
Doug is sitting in the kitchen, working on a graphic design project for a client, when Debbie strolls up to him. She is obviously in the mood and tries to get Doug interested, but he is stressed out and tries to push her away so that he can focus on his work.
After pulling Doug out of his chair, Debbie holds up her phone, where a family planning app reads “You’re Ovulating! Time to fuck!” They are trying to start a family, and it’s time for baby making.
Unfortunately there isn’t much passion in the bedroom, and they realize that they need to seek professional help because their relationship is about to hit rock bottom.
So the couple goes to a new age therapy center where healing herbs are growing in every nook and cranny and employees take “spiritual selfies” with patients. While waiting for their appointment, Debbie and Doug read through a pamphlet that suggests “tripping into a stronger marriage”. After a brief consultation, a quirky alternative therapist named Ariel advises them to take LSD together in order to save their relationship from impending death.
Doug is awfully apprehensive, mentioning a former friend who took acid at a Dave Matthews Band concert one time before becoming some sort of delusional shaman. But the couple is desperate to save their marriage so they reluctantly agree to give the desert acid trip a go.
However, there is a calamitous mix-up at the center and the couple ends up taking “way, way, way too much” acid, which transports them to a trippy world made up of strange and hilarious characters who help them understand the core problems within their relationship.
Some of the wacky characters that Debbie and Doug meet along the way aren’t really people at all. Instead, they are mental constructs like the Universe, Truth, and Fear.
Debbie and Doug are forced to face their own fears, which include no longer being attractive and a nagging sense that one of them is turning into their father. The LSD helps them come clean about some difficult truths that each of them have been keeping from each other.
The narrative culminates in a powerful sequence where Debbie and Doug each encounter their shadow sides in an unexpected way that might just bring you to tears.
The film features an impressive cast, especially for a psychedelic flick. Paul Scheer (of The League) and iconic American television and radio host Larry King are some of the more well-known actors; Debbie and Doug are played by Angela Gulner and Zack Gold. The alternative therapist known as Ariel is played by Maria Bamford and the Universe and Truth are played by Peres Owino and Al Thompson.
Musically speaking, the soundtrack is evocative and helps to keep the film moving. And the filmography and special effects are really well done too. Experienced psychonauts will undoubtedly recognize some of the visual and auditory effects from some of their own previous psychedelic journeys replicated expertly on screen.
Debbie and Doug Drop Acid in the Desert is certainly a unique film. It’s a short ride (only 25 minutes) that goes by pretty quickly but there is so much packed in that it rewards multiple viewings. More information can be found at the film’s website, which features quotes from the Grateful Dead, Hunter S. Thompson, and The Beatles.
If you’re interested in psychedelics and are in the mood for a work of fiction rather than a non-fictional documentary focusing on psychedelic history, culture, or research, then you won’t be disappointed by this film. I’m interested to see more psychedelic films like this one come out in the future, because while it’s always satisfying to watch an educational movie, it’s also good to change things up from time to time too.