The documentary My Psychedelic Love Story delves into the relationship between Timothy Leary, the high priest of LSD, and Joanna Harcourt-Smith, his lover and accomplice, from the perspective of Harcourt-Smith. Through interviews, archival footage, and reenactments, the film explores their tumultuous love affair, which began in 1972 while Leary was serving time in a federal prison for drug charges.
As Harcourt-Smith recounts her experiences with Leary, the film raises questions about his role as a countercultural figure and his involvement with the CIA's MK-Ultra program. Harcourt-Smith claims that Leary was coerced by the CIA to work as an informant and that their relationship was used as a means of control over him.
The film also highlights the impact of their relationship on Harcourt-Smith's life, including her own arrest and imprisonment, and her struggle to overcome addiction and trauma. Ultimately, My Psychedelic Love Story offers a personal and thought-provoking perspective on the era of the 1960s counterculture and the complex figure of Timothy Leary.