Review of Hard Candy (2005) by Diogo S — 06 May 2011

Vigilante justice seems to be a political sticking point liberals and conservatives never discuss. Liberals, generally, condemn the idea, claiming it violates the rule of law by allowing individuals to usurp social codes for their own benefit. Conservatives almost tacitly agree that vigilantism is, in theory, acceptable.

"Hard Candy" represents a liberal vigilante movie, a film where the avenging protagonist is not directly wronged but striking out on behalf of all victims. Ellen Page's Hayley Stark is, essentially, Lisa Simpson with a few more years and a remarkable sociopathic streak. If that description sounds both irritating and awful, you're beginning to understand "Candy's" failures.

It's a miracle Page had "Juno" come out a year after "Candy" to build up goodwill after this rather unfortunate breakthrough role. And it's certainly not the case that the talented ingenue plays Hayley poorly; it's simply that Hayley is one of the most irritating, self-righteous, smart-ass characters to ever grace the screen. Throughout the film, the character's actions are so extreme -- and her motivations so unnecessarily murky -- that you pretty much have no choice but to sympathize with a likely pederast (Patrick Wilson).

So, to sum up, "Hard Candy" is a movie that made me root AGAINST someone torturing and tormenting a child molester, an onscreen proposition I would normally take vicarious, vicious delight in. This movie is one that further proves what I like to call "The Boondock Saints" Corollary: The less connection a vigilante protagonist has to a crime, the less credibility he/she will hold with an audience as he/she begins his/her spree of violence.

Watching a former victim destroy a sexual predator physically, mentally and emotionally would have been satisfying. Watching an adolescent who alternates between unfortunate android coolness; unwelcome pedantry; and shrill, untenable conviction makes the movie less unsettling (probably its primary goal, rather than straightforward vigilante thrill-seeking) than interminable.