Review of Hard Candy (2005) by Ben P — 04 Aug 2012

Gosh! Strong stuff; tense and compelling, Hard Candy had me literally squirming (you'll know the bit if you've seen it). David Slade's low budget thriller (costing under $1 million and shot in eighteen days) may not be to everyone's taste.

Torture, murder and paedophilia can put some off I guess. The two leads are excellent though, with a script that allows plenty of range for both. Jeff (Patrick Wilson) is a paedophile photographer in his 30s who grooms young girls on-line, which is how he comes into contact with 14-year-old Hayley (Ellen Page) who arranges to meet him for a photo shoot: predator ensnaring victim.

Well, er, yes and no. OK, sometimes one has to suspend disbelief a tad, but trust me, this was not difficult, as the plot twisted and cantered and I was entirely gripped. Patrick Wilson's paedophile is utterly convincing, simultaneously plausible and just a bit creepy.

Mostly, though, and to his neighbours, a picture of normality itself. Normal too is Hayley, liking chocolate and Coldplay. It's just her predilection for electrocution, asphyxiation, hanging and castration which sets her a little apart from her classmates.