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| Hard Candy (2006)
 
Starring: Ellen Page, Patrick Wilson, Sandra Oh Director: David Slade Rating: R Category: Suspense  |
“Hard Candy” is unlike any movie you’ll ever see, and yet its roots are so deeply grounded in such famous sexual thrillers as “Fatal Attraction” and “Basic Instinct,” as well as more recent shocksploitation films like Chan-wook Park’s “Oldboy” and Takashi Miike’s “Audition.” It should come as no surprise, then, that the film’s publicity continues to grow (mostly by word of mouth) as it is slowly released across the country, and for good reason too. This is one particularly edgy and disturbing little film, and will no doubt have people talking by the end of the year. If not for its taboo subject matter, then for the brilliant performance by its Lolitaesque star Ellen Page.
Opening with some playful online banter between 14-year-old Hayley Stark (Page) – whose screen name just so happens to be Thonggrrrrl14 - and a thirtysomething fashion photographer named Jeff Kohlver (Patrick Wilson), the two finally agree to a meet-up at the local coffee dive. In Jeff’s defense, Hayley appears far more mature than she really is, but the idea of this guy hanging out with a 14-year-old is enough to make you question his real motives, which are quickly conveyed when he invites Hayley to his trendy bachelor pad in the Hollywood Hills. Surprisingly, she agrees to go, and after trading in their café lattes for Screwdrivers, Hayley begins to “pose” for Jeff. Then, suddenly, he passes out, only to awaken moments later and discover himself bound to a chair with Hayley in his face spouting accusations of being a pedophile and a murderer.
For a film that relies entirely on its shock value, the less you know the better, but it’s important to note that the abovementioned rundown only encompasses the first thirty minutes. From there, the story takes a massive leap that most probably aren’t expecting, including a scene so unsettling it’ll have the entire male audience squirming in their seats. You can thank first-time director David Slade (who cut his teeth making Stone Temple Pilots music videos) for moments like these, though he’s hardly in control of the ship. Page and Wilson are remarkable opposite one another, and with the exception of a brief appearance by Sandra Oh, the two actors carry the entire film without even breaking a sweat. Well, maybe a little bit of sweat on the part of Wilson, though you can hardly blame him considering the situation his character’s been dropped into. Page is flawless, however, and I’ll be damned if this breakthrough performance doesn’t earn the pint-sized newcomer an Oscar nod come next March.
The film does tend to drag in the final act, but by the time it arrives, the audience is so invested in the cutthroat story that you could hardly imagine anyone stopping to make a fuss about it. In fact, you’ll be more concerned with the question of who’s the lesser evil: the seemingly innocent photographer or the sweet girl with good intentions? Hey, I didn’t say it would be easy, but while this piece of “Candy” may be hard to swallow, it’s simply too sweet to pass up.
DVD Review:
Deserving of a well-produced DVD, Lionsgate has wholeheartedly delivered with a single-disc release that includes two excellent audio commentaries (one with director David Slade and writer Brian Nelson, and the other with stars Patrick Wilson and Ellen Page), six deleted/extended scenes, and a short featurette that discusses the effect that the film had on audiences (“Controversial Confection”). Perhaps most notable, however, is the 52-minute making-of documentary that covers everything from conception, casting and post-production. Heck, you’ll even learn what a digital colorist actually does.
~Jason Zingale
jzingale@bullz-eye.com