What the #$*! Do We Know!?, a film by directors William Arntz, Betsy Chasse and Mark Vicente, seeks to probe the depths of our existence: what do we actually know and how do we know it? From quantum mechanics to personal drama, the movie raises possibilities that stretch the imagination and causes viewers to challenge common conceptions of the world.Stylistically original, the movie combines elements of drama, documentary, humor and animated visual effects, and thus defies a clear-cut genre. The format of the film parallels two types of narration: scientific and fictional. Both attempt to address a number of philosophical, scientific and religious issues. On the fictional side, we follow Amanda (Marlee Matlin, Two Shades of Blue), a deaf photographer whose life slowly unravels as she discovers the deeper truths of the quantum world. Amanda finds herself in some tough situations - stress from work, fear of relationships and bothersome anxieties lead her to anti-stress pills and mood swings.

Yet each situation she encounters leads her one step closer to knowing something more about the world. An especially important and interesting scene is the one in which Amanda drops her pill vial on the subway tracks. As a result, she stumbles across an exhibition by Dr. Masaru Emoto, a Japanese scientist, whose work with water crystals may leave some viewers amazed and some skeptical. Nonetheless, the knowledge Amanda gains in these small encounters aid her in understanding not only the external world, but also the one within.

On the film's scientific side, the movie contains interviews with 14 prominent scholars, in fields ranging from theoretical nuclear science to enlightened mysticism. They expound in greater detail on the questions that Amanda faces. Yet they also complete the film's inventive format as commentators not only on a scientific level, but also on a dramatic one. The filmmakers have done a good job in weaving the scientists' comments together to form a coherent narrative, although the amount of information in the film is rather extensive.

An added bonus of the film is its impressive animation. The computer-generated images that frequently fill the screen are a pleasant change of atmosphere and certainly help in clarifying the more technical details discussed throughout. Perhaps the most entertaining scene of the film is the Polish wedding scene. Hundreds of animated cells, given human characteristics and behavior, take over the screen and, with great humor, reflect what is going on in the minds and bodies of those present.The film, though at times lighthearted, manages to maintain a certain darkness in tone, which is apparent even in the Polish wedding sequence. The content is serious, and the drama is relevant, mature and transcendent of the purely scientific moments of the film.

The downside of the movieis that the constant bombardment of information takes away from some of the finer points it tries to make. The scholars bring up a host of topics, but the discussions are not always in-depth. The conclusions are not always satisfactory, and viewers can feel that they were left hanging. As the film progresses, Amanda's transformation from anxious and insecure to confident and wise losses its allure. The end is predictably positive, but confusing as to why exactly Amanda turns out the way she does. In fact, the entire closing sequence leaves some questions unanswered, perhaps by intention.

Yet for those interested in science this movie may prove to be enlightening. It touches on many themes and presents an impressive amount of information, which might require the film to be seen more than once in order to develop a complete understanding. The movie is accessible for anyone remotely interested in quantum mechanics and philosophy, for that matter. What the #$*! Do We Know!? requires patience and an open mind. Viewers will certainly come out of the experience with new and interesting ways to contemplate what we truly know about our world.