Hard Candy
"Riveting and terryfying." - USA Today
A smart, charming teenage girl, Hayley probably shouldn't be going to a local coffee shop to meet Jeff, a 30-something fashion photographer she met on the Internet. But before she knows it, she's mixing drinks at Jeff's place and stripping for an impromptu photo shoot. It's Jeff's lucky night. But Hayley isn't as innocent as she looks, and the night takes a turn when she begins to impose a hard-hitting investigation on Jeff in an attempt to reveal his possibly scandalous past.
Member Reviews
Pretentious and hypocritical - RobBC
Slade seems to have an acute case of moral ambivalence as the question of who we’re supposed to feel sorrier for, the slimy pedophile or the batty teenager, quickly becomes a contentious issue. Both are equally repulsive in what amounts to an adolescent revenge fantasy. While I can see the “little vigilante girl” theme appealing to those with an axe to grind I personally found the film’s bloated theatrics and smug sense of righteousness completely insulting. I give Hard Candy a 1/5 for its high-calibre performances (a waste of talent) and nothing more.A Disturbing (and Flawed) Thriller - Chraspin
'Hard Candy' is a very disturbing thriller that encourages viewers to rethink their perceptions of two seemingly diametrically opposed types of people: innocent victims and those who hurt them through both physical violence and psychological manipulation. This is in lage part due to the superb acting by Ellen Page and Patrick Wilson. Each brings nuance to their respective characters, and keeps the audience glued to the screen.
However, the movie's main flaws are the manipulation of the viewers and, ironically, the ambiguity of the key characters. The commentary track reveals, among other things, that the creators of this film want the viewers to decide for themselves on the guilt and innocence of the protagonists. The difficulty of this lies in the fact that Page was about 19 or so at the time of filming, portraying a 14-year old with the ability to drug a man, make him think a part of himself was being removed from his body (to put it delicately), and other actions that seem highly improbable. We are expected to feel sympathy for the pedophile, yet also feel guilty for feeling that sympathy. The problem with feeling any clear emotion for either character as a whole is that both become, as the movie progresses, extremely ambigious. Is Page's character Hayley Stark really innocent, or has she already become extremely similar to the very monster she was trying to kill? Has Wilson's character Jeff Kohlver done everything of which he has been accused, or is there more to the story?
For a film that is praiseworthy for its creation of nuanced, ambiguous characters, the clarity which was (at least by me) expected towards the end did not materialize. This leads one to question whether the film's conclusion would have had a stronger emotional impact (one way or the other) had their "true" natures been better conveyed. We will never truly know who these characters truly are, which is what makes this film most disturbing, but also quite flawed.disturbing and tough to digest - thomasmj
An original original psychological thriller/revenge fantasy, Hard Candy is hard to take and uncomfortably intense.
The film challenges expectations and most conventions of suspense films. Hayley (Ellen Page), a smart 14-year-old, is both innocent and wisened beyond her years. The first scenes feature permissive banter via instant messages between the honour student and Jeff, a 32-year-old photographer (Patrick Wilson).
They meet at a coffeehouse, and Jeff surprises her by being handsome, charming and almost brotherly, hardly the profile of an Internet sexual predator. Hayley’s exuberance at their camaraderie is undeniable.
What ensues for the next hour is compeling, and terrifying, highlighted by intimate close-ups, stylized, frenetic cinematography and unique lighting to heighten emotion and drama.
The two go back to Jeff’s home, and one has the queasy feeling that Hayley has no idea what may be in store for her, despite her come-ons and taunts. She offers a warning: “Just because a girl knows how to imitate a woman doesn’t mean she’s ready to do what a woman does.”
One cannot watch this movie without achoking sense of dread, thanks to Page’s masterfully complex portrayal; though we learn that Hayley is no innocent, a part of us is always worrying for her.
Wilson also is top-notch as his easy assurance is shocked away into terror he asks who she is, her response is haunting: “I’m every little girl you ever watched, touched, hurt, screwed or killed.”
The screenplay by Brian Nelson is extremely well-written. The movie is as much about dialogue as it is about unspeakable acts.
Hard Candy disturbing and tough to stomach; we may not want to spend two hours contemplating pedophiles are real and that this movie is timely.
The ending pushes boundaries and compels our own notions of vengeance and justice to shake to the core.
Member Reviews
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Pretentious and hypocritical - RobBC
Slade seems to have an acute case of moral ambivalence as the question of who we’re supposed to feel sorrier for, the slimy pedophile or the batty teenager, quickly becomes a contentious issue. Both are equally repulsive in what amounts to an adolescent revenge ...A Disturbing (and Flawed) Thriller - Chraspin
'Hard Candy' is a very disturbing thriller that encourages viewers to rethink their perceptions of two seemingly diametrically opposed types of people: innocent victims and those who hurt them through both physical violence and psychological manipulation. ...disturbing and tough to digest - thomasmj
An original original psychological thriller/revenge fantasy, Hard Candy is hard to take and uncomfortably intense.
The film challenges expectations and most conventions of suspense films. Hayley (Ellen Page), a smart 14-year-old, is both innocent and ...