Review of Hard Candy (2005) by Ryan V — 06 Aug 2012
Hayley (Ellen Page) is a teenaged girl who sets up a meeting with Jeff (Patrick Wilson), a thirtysomething she's been chatting up over the internet. The narrative initially seems like it's heading in the direction of Hayley getting victimized by this sordid man, but the tables quickly turn and the predator becomes the prey.
The majority of this film's running time is spent on Hayley sadistically hurting Jeff in manners both physical and mental. Hard Candy walks a line between psychological thriller and torture porn as it slowly reveals the reason Hayley targetted Jeff in the first place.
It can occasionally be a difficult movie to sit through, but Hard Candy is a striking story that's boosted by stylistic use of lighting, a generous application of extreme close-ups, and a career-high performance by Page.
This review of Hard Candy (2005) was written by Ryan V on 06 Aug 2012.
Hard Candy has generally received positive reviews.
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