Hard Candy

Rating: R18 – Contains Sadistic Cruelty.
Duration: 98 mins.
Genre: Suspense & Thriller, Psychological.
Actors: Sandra Oh, Patrick Wilson, Ellen Page, Jennifer Holmes.
Director: David Slade.
Release Date: Available Now.

Hard Candy isn’t an easy movie to watch. I’m not saying that its not a good movie, more the opposite, it’s brilliant. It’s just that the subject matter isn’t something that can be seen as entertaining.

Enthralling, engaging, darkly compelling, yes. Entertaining, no.

So lets look at the plot. 14 year old Hayley has been chatting with a 32 year old fashion photographer online for three weeks. Long enough in online terms to get to know someone.

The nest step is obvious; they have to meet. Somewhere safe, somewhere public. A café suits the bill perfectly.

Hayley gets her older sister to drop her off, and soon gets talking to Geoff, her photographer ‘friend.’ Geoff seems like a nice enough guy, but Haley on the other hand seems to be a bit of a rebellious wild child.

Soon enough Hayley basically invites herself back to Geoff’s place. Geoff who should know better plays along. There’s more to Geoff than meets the eye. But of course we know that, why else would a 32 year old male be chatting to a 14 year old online?

But Haley is looking for a bit of an adventure, so why not?

But things are not as they seem, a Geoff is about to get a rude awakening. Hayley is not the innocent 14 year old that we all think she is. Nope. She’s a cold, calculating homicidal maniac, looking to enforce her vigilante style of justice on a paedophile creep.

But is it a case of mistaken identity?

Ellen Page is in her element playing Hayley, turning from an innocent child like 14 year old, to a cold, calculating monster at her whim. She really drives the movie; with one of the most convincing characters I’ve seen. Comparatively, Patrick Wilson (Geoff) is almost downplaying his part, but as the intensity heats up, the two actors seem to work off each other bringing the viewer and emotionally charged performance that won’t be easily forgotten.

With the subject matter and the R18 rating, you might be expecting some degree of gratuitous nudity or extensive gore. Fortunately David Slade plays the psychological thriller card very well, and keeps everything psychological. It’s amazing what great sound effects can do better than actually seeing the event.

All in all a well shot, brilliantly acted, tight movie about a subject matter that needs to be discussed.

Still, Hard Candy isn’t for the faint hearted, and will leave a lasting impression.

Food for thought:
Should children have un-moderated access to the internet?

Rent or Buy?
I’m not sure you’ll want additional viewings of Hard Candy, so I’d go for renting.