Review of Hard Candy (2005) by Philip S — 01 Oct 2011

I had heard good things about this one. It sat on my TiVo for a long time and I finally got around to seeing it. In the end, I was disappointed. This movie is not nearly as smart as it purports to be or as the Flixster description would have you believe.

It felt like it was written by a high school student. It had that clunky earnestness that is at the same time too smart and too dumb. It was like watching a Kevin Smith movie that takes itself too seriously.

Too much unbelievable dialogue and some plot points that make no sense whatsoever. But gee, aren't they convenient. I won't spoil the movie, but there are moments where the heroine avoids danger in ridiculous fashion and where things that could not have been foreseen work out just right.

The ending? Silly. But isn't it a lovely visual? High school. This movie should have taken its time at the beginning and laid more groundwork as to the characters and their relationship. And the reveal at the end? Ugh.

Again, illogical but oh so convenient. Good premise, ham-fisted execution. A frustrating film to watch. The basic idea deserved a better fate.