Review of Hard Candy (2005) by Claire D — 14 Mar 2011

Shit, please do not follow what reviews tell you. Watch the trailer and you'll be like, "Whoa, I have to watch this".

Not only because Hayley (a brilliant Ellen Page) cut off someone's genitals, it's because the whole movie is an almost real story of victim-takes-revenge. Patrick Wilson is Jeff, a pedophile. Or so it seems, anyway. He meets Hayley on the net, hook up, and wait, hold on. Before you go on, you would have to enjoy the way the camera absolutely centralized (almost beautifully) on the two main characters. The lighting and eyes-focusing-camerawork is something to admire.

Well, all you should know about the film is that it's about this 14-year-old girl who thinks a guy 18 years older than her is a pedophile. She feels as if the guy needs to be taught a lesson and well, when both of them end up at Jeff's house, Hayley really takes advantage of the situation. Both mentally and physically, Jeff is tortured. Strangely even, Hayley, although feeling satisfied and all that, is also left feeling the gravity of her actions. Even SHE feels a little hurt although she isn' really the victim of the plot.

But Page was stunning. This role was made for her. She has that gaze in her eyes - or is the camera's doing? - that would fool anyone into thinking she's just an innocent gal waiting to fall for a pervert's trap. Into Jeff's trap. However, the script is also to be credited. Because really, could a movie about a child bullying a man be this entertaining? Of course it could. With some twists and turns, this turned out to be psychology more than anything.

Essentially, the whole story showed why you shouldn't ever mess with certain people online. Especially 'little girls'.

Personally*... So, did she really castrate him?