David O'ConnellHard Candy to swallow
May 5th 2008 05:11
David Slade's feature debut, Hard Candy (2005), is a provocative, profoundly disturbing film on many levels. Any man who has seen it will know what I'm talking about when I say that when it was over my thighs were painfully welded together in a brutal clench!
Two actors are given centre stage to dominate our screen for 90 minutes - hardly another soul is glimpsed throughout - and it's dramatic, it's suspenseful, and most definitely a kind of psychological horror film.
Ellen Page is Hayley, a 14 year old girl who has arranged to meet up with Patrick Wilson's Jeff, a 32 year old photographer, via a chatroom on the internet. But is he just a friendly and lonely guy looking for companionship or are there sleazy, even sinister desires that drive him?
Hayley, we soon discover, is more intellectual and articulate than any 14 year old known to man, whilst Jeff is extremely amiable and I had no trouble liking him from the start, as is obviously intended. It makes for an intriguing prelude to each character testing and probing the motives of the other as they drive to Jeff's secluded house, and their conversation develops, soon heading into darker territory.
What plays out over the rest of the film is a compelling game of psychological cat and mouse, with the tables being turned more than once, to keep us guessing as to who will eventually finish on top.
Brian Nelson's taut and intricate screenplay is structured like a play, as systematically it devolves into something chillingly graphic - though more in what's projected into our imaginations rather than what we're physically shown, which make it all the more unnerving.
It's not even at the midway point when things take this drastic turn as a claustrophobic suspense begins to take hold and as horrified as I occasionally was - wondering who the real predator might be - I couldn't look away from these two people.
It's not a film you can reveal much about without spoiling the disturbing effect it's likely to have on almost every viewer. I went through little ambivalent periods of not knowing who I was more sympathetic towards, if either.
But are we supposed to feel anything for these two characters ultimately?
Do women react the same way to this film as men?
I know it left me with a hollow feeling in my stomach in the end, and part of me just wanted to jump into the shower to cleanse myself of it's horrors, both real and concocted, physical and emotional.
Ellen Page and Patrick Wilson both give phenomenal performances, no one can deny that - Page is especially assured as the memorable Hayley, in a head-turning but thankless role which can be seen as a precursor to the talent uncovered fully in last year's Juno. But we never really understand where the most disturbed aspects of Hayley's psyche come from so it's hard to align with her motivations, other than the most obvious moral stances.
Wilson was just as impressive in the superb Little Children.
David Slade has since gone on to direct the much larger-budgeted horror film 30 Days of Night from last year, but his feature debut deserves to be seen, at least once, for though it'll leave a temporary scar which may fade, you won't forget Hard Candy in a hurry.
Two actors are given centre stage to dominate our screen for 90 minutes - hardly another soul is glimpsed throughout - and it's dramatic, it's suspenseful, and most definitely a kind of psychological horror film.
Ellen Page is Hayley, a 14 year old girl who has arranged to meet up with Patrick Wilson's Jeff, a 32 year old photographer, via a chatroom on the internet. But is he just a friendly and lonely guy looking for companionship or are there sleazy, even sinister desires that drive him?
Hayley, we soon discover, is more intellectual and articulate than any 14 year old known to man, whilst Jeff is extremely amiable and I had no trouble liking him from the start, as is obviously intended. It makes for an intriguing prelude to each character testing and probing the motives of the other as they drive to Jeff's secluded house, and their conversation develops, soon heading into darker territory.
What plays out over the rest of the film is a compelling game of psychological cat and mouse, with the tables being turned more than once, to keep us guessing as to who will eventually finish on top.
Brian Nelson's taut and intricate screenplay is structured like a play, as systematically it devolves into something chillingly graphic - though more in what's projected into our imaginations rather than what we're physically shown, which make it all the more unnerving.
It's not even at the midway point when things take this drastic turn as a claustrophobic suspense begins to take hold and as horrified as I occasionally was - wondering who the real predator might be - I couldn't look away from these two people.
It's not a film you can reveal much about without spoiling the disturbing effect it's likely to have on almost every viewer. I went through little ambivalent periods of not knowing who I was more sympathetic towards, if either.
But are we supposed to feel anything for these two characters ultimately?
Do women react the same way to this film as men?
I know it left me with a hollow feeling in my stomach in the end, and part of me just wanted to jump into the shower to cleanse myself of it's horrors, both real and concocted, physical and emotional.
Ellen Page and Patrick Wilson both give phenomenal performances, no one can deny that - Page is especially assured as the memorable Hayley, in a head-turning but thankless role which can be seen as a precursor to the talent uncovered fully in last year's Juno. But we never really understand where the most disturbed aspects of Hayley's psyche come from so it's hard to align with her motivations, other than the most obvious moral stances.
Wilson was just as impressive in the superb Little Children.
David Slade has since gone on to direct the much larger-budgeted horror film 30 Days of Night from last year, but his feature debut deserves to be seen, at least once, for though it'll leave a temporary scar which may fade, you won't forget Hard Candy in a hurry.
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Comment by Bianca S
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
I loved Hard Candy too, gripping and morally challenging. Nicely critiqued, if your interested you can read my Hard candy review HERE.
Comment by David O'Connell
Screen Fanatic
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
Ellen Page is on the up now, but she definitely had it going on then.
I agree with you, David, that it has the feel of a play. Was it filmed on a soundstage..?
It's so disconcerting when you can't find firm footing, in empathising with a character. I love it.
Michaelie
Comment by David O'Connell
Screen Fanatic
Ellen Page is going to be a star for a long time, that's for sure, hopefully she doesn't go down the Reece Witherspoon path, for example, and follow up some amazing performances with mostly a string of lightweight romantic comedies!!
This film is such an unsettling one, I felt like screaming at the end, but I had no idea why exactly, it left me with many pent-up emotions!