BEST MOVIE - 2007 POLISHED APPLE AWARDS

“HARD CANDY” (2005)

Starring: Patrick Wilson & Ellen Page
Written by Brian Nelson
Directed by David Slade

Polly Staffle Rating: ****

I’m curious to see how mainstream audiences react to “Hardy Candy.” It is a simple story with most of the film’s action taking place in one location with two people over the course of a few hours. There’s no CGI special effects or big explosions. It’s rated R, but there’s no nudity and there is very little blood. A thirty-two-year old man and a 14-year-old girl are the main characters and no, they’re not father and daughter. The film deals with a very difficult subject matter – pedophilia. The male and the female are a couple that met on the internet. Actually, calling them a couple is a stretch because they have no emotional connection whatsoever. There’s no fondness for each other that could possibly bud into love. From the get go, it seems his intention is to solely seduce her and it’s hard to really see what her motivation is.

After watching this film I remembered a story about the only time I’ve ever been out of the country. It was a trip to Mexico almost ten years ago with my brother and his friend Sean. None of us spoke Spanish. Bad mistake. Going to another country and not knowing the language is not a good idea. Anyway, Sean had a sore throat that was bothering him, so he went into a corner drugstore in hopes of some kind of remedy. After a long back and fourth of Sean pointing inside his mouth and grabbing at his throat, the clerk seemed to understand what he needed. The clerk went into the back and came out with something for Sean to take. We’re not sure what it was. It wasn’t in a box or a bottle. It didn’t come with directions. It was some kind of medication in one of those small foil bubble packs and when the clerk sent us on our way, we all thought we heard him refer to what Sean just purchased as “cocaine.” It very well could have been the case of our stupid tourist gringo imaginations running wild or a drugstore clerk laughing his ass off after we left. Regardless, Sean popped one of the pills into his mouth and started to choke. He was choking because they were not pills. They were throat lozenges. Now had he bought these in the United States, he would have known to place it in his mouth and suck on it till it disappears. I mention this story because symbolically that is the kind of film this is. It’s a round red and white peppermint. Just like a cough drop, it’s not meant to be a quick and easy swallow.

“Hard Candy” opens with a brief internet instant message exchange between “Thong Girl” and “Lensman.” With those screen names I think we can all figure out who is who and what they are seeking. The duo decides to hook up for an innocent face-to-face meeting. She is Hayley Stark, played by Ellen Page. Supposedly 14, she looks more like ten. Page was actually 17 at the time of filming, but I never would have guessed it. Hayley is very boyish and appears extremely naïve. “Lensman” is Jeff Kohlver, played by Patrick Wilson. Jeff is a photographer that seems to specialize in young girls. He also is a complete liar. He didn’t randomly meet Hayley online, he sought her out because of her age and pretended to be interested in everything she said she liked.

Other than what I have already said, I will not give away any more plot details. I’m sure there will be plenty of individuals that will destroy this film for people, but I won’t go there. The twist isn’t what this film is all about anyway, so instead I want to talk about how well this film is made. If you want my honest opinion, this should sweep at the Oscars next year. “Hard Candy” is simply brilliant. The acting, the writing and directing are all impressive. David Slade has managed to take a brutal look at an important issue and does it in a way that it’s not a lame after school special and it’s not too disturbing that you are scared to admit what you just watched. It’s an uncomfortable watch, but it should be when you are dealing with topics like stalkers, torture and kiddie porn. If you thought it was hard watching Kevin Bacon in “The Woodsman,” this film cranks up the uneasy factor several notches. To really drive home the uncomfortable feeling, Slade makes sure to push the camera in as close as possible. This film is nearly one close-up after another as if Slade is shoving the reality of the film down our throats.

The movie is also very gut wrenching with feelings toward both characters running the gamut. There is no clear cut hero or villain. Jeff is a monster and we despise him. But like the monsters of real life, he isn’t one hundred percent evil. We actually feel for him at times, but are unable to forgive his sins. The same goes for Hayley. She’s an innocent angel being manipulated and damaged by our ugly world. We understand where she is coming from and identify with her as the victim. That doesn’t mean she has a “get out of jail free” card for whatever she may do in her life, but as the film ends we just hope she is able to leave the day behind and try to forget as much about it as possible. That’s the beauty of filmmaking. We are able to see more than just one side, something that comes very hard to human beings in real life. Most child abusers were also abused as children. Our society is so harsh and quick to judge those that commit such acts, but rarely are we able to process why they did what they did. Maybe it’s because we don’t want to know. Clearly Jeff has a mental illness that has been with him all his life. Sickness or victimization does not give someone an excuse to do whatever they want, but it does help us to understand and I think that is what this film does.

As I said earlier, “Hard Candy” will be hard for some to appreciate. It’s a pretty weird film. It’s extremely smart and stylish, but beyond classification. “Hard Candy” isn’t exactly a horror film though it deals with a harsh subject matter, delivers a number of terrifying moments and is chalked full of suspense. In many ways it’s like a 70’s survival shocker, but there’s no gore and it actually isn’t extreme enough. The film also has a very weird sense of humor. I wouldn’t call it a dark comedy, but it is pretty funny. At times it seemed like a very nervous laugh erupting from the crowd, so I wasn’t the only demented person digging the humor. Also, this isn’t your typical thriller and it’s not a heavy drama someone should just walk in off the street and blindly see.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not trying to scare anyone away from it. I truly think it is an important film that probably should be shown in our education system. It sure beats the hell out of the film projected shorts we watched in elementary school about staying away from strangers and running to tell another adult if someone touches us inappropriately. If I had children, I’d sit them down and let them watch it and discuss it afterwards. At the screening I attended there was actually a public relations guy from Lions Gate trying to warn people about the film as they came in. Evidently it wasn’t his cup of tea because he actually told a family with children that the film was “sick.” Nice way to promote the film, huh? From the way he talked I was expecting a snuff film.

Don’t worry, it’s not that bad. It’s kind of like a slowly melting ice cube in your mouth. It’s a bit awkward, but once it is over and done with you are glad you gave it the chance to fully melt. That’s the way cough drops and any type of “Hard Candy” are supposed to work. My advice is to take this movie in slowly. Do not judge it before you see it and do not go in thinking it is going to be “filthy, disgusting or perverted.” Keep an open mind and let the story unfold and perhaps you will enjoy it as much as I did. Otherwise, you might find yourself just like my brother’s friend Sean, gasping for air, choking on his “Mexican cocaine pill.”

- CCF, April 2006