Review: Hard Candy

[Geophyrd]

Movie Review: Hard Candy: Just watched this movie last night and I think its the best horror thriller I've seen in years, maybe even a decade. I can't get it out of my mind. I expect I'll revisit this one again over the years, find nuances that I missed or forgot since the last time. I know I'll see its star again. She was marvelous. The title, Hard Candy, supposedly refers to internet slang for underage girls. Its premise is simple enough. A predator meets a 14 year old for coffee after chatting her up in internet chat rooms. In the coffee shop, there's notice of a missing girl. He has a CD she wants to hear and she goes home with him and that, 5 minutes into the flick, was the last predictable thing in the movie. I don't want to go into more, just that if it was me who was in that situation, I'd never have had a chance. That's not a spoiler, but if you think it might be, you need to see the movie. The breakout star of the movie is a Canadian actress named Ellen Page, who played Kitty Pryde in the last Xmen movie. If you thought her character was slippery then...that was nothing as to her part in the movie. It was unforgettable, such a fierce, strong role. Although she plays 14 in the movie, she was 17 when she filmed it. That's a small comfort in that she is attractive and smart in a very attractive way. To find out she's 17 is only the small of comforts (thank god, she’s not 14…) until you consider that she still wasn’t legal age and that becomes the trope of the director/screenwriter, to draw the men in the audience into the trap that the same desire to cozen the teenaged heroine places them clearly into that loathsome predator's shoes. Its clever and superlatively acted. To talk of the movie's technical competence, it is filmed in close to extreme close-up. The cinematographer does such an extraordinary job of capturing nuance that I wonder how much of it was directed vs. how it was shot. Maybe they just took so much footage that they could edit it until it worked. The colors (a lot of primary colors, particularly in the beginning of the movie) represent almost a separate person in the movie, conveying mood and foreshadowing in equal measure. Pay attention...clearly the producers/director did not have much of a budget and they put every dime on the screen. A few of the shots were stunning. This is not an easy movie to watch. Its squirm-inducing and some might argue that it’s not really a horror movie. I answer by repeating. This is the best horror thriller I've seen in years, maybe a decade. Before I forget, here’s Ebert’s take on the flick

[MinionZombie]

I certainly thought it was a great movie, superbly well made and really beautiful looking ... when you take away the whole paedo-plot of course, lol (for example, in the use of colour in the house). It's fairly slow burn, but ultimately I think it's a rewarding experience because it's a well made, quality film...and that scene in the movie was really, yeuch...yet brilliantly done. The film swings back and forth between calm & slow paced, to moments of sheer f*cked-up-edness.

[AcesandEights]

This movie was indeed a painful, but satisfying in how emotionally evocative it managed to be.

[Yojimbo]

After reading a few reviews from these pages, and hearing this film mentioned tangentially by my zed-head friends here at HPOTD, I sought out a copy of Hard Candy, a movie which during it's theatrical release I pretty much dismissed and ignored. I cannot account for why I passed this film up, but I don't go out to the theaters much nowdays and for some reason this film seemed to be far and away from something worth spending time and money on. After viewing this extremely disturbing film, I am surprised to say that I was very impressed by this movie and female lead Page's fine, fine acting especially considering it was a role that she handled when only 17. Without revealing plot elements through spoilers (though at this point it is probably moot since practically everyone has likely already seen this except for my wife and I) I highly recommend Hard Candy as a film worthy of permanent collection status. I actually picked up a copy at my local big box for about 10 bucks and it was cash well spent!

[AcesandEights]

practically everyone has likely already seen this except for my wife and I I don't know. It seems like a lot of people I speak with are unaware of the film. I think it's still very under the radar with the Blockbuster viewing set etc. Glad you liked it, Yo.

[MoonSylver]

Easily one of the more disturbing films I've seen for awhile. Definitely sticks with you afterwards. Almost painful to watch & keeps you squirming w/ tension. Only reason I wouldn't own a copy is I don't know if I COULD watch it again. Brilliant movie though.

[MinionZombie]

Aye, I duno if I'd watch this a second time - not for a long time at least - but *THE* scene sticks with you. I also found it to be a really well photographed film too, and interesting set design what with the choice of paint on the various walls in the house.

[Geophyrd]

I really think Ellen Page was the reason Juno was so good, not Diablo Cody's screenplay. I mean, without her, I think its an Afterschool Special. The photography in the movie was amazing. The colors in the house were like another character in the movie.