Director: David SladeCast: Ellen Page, Patrick Wilson, Sandra Oh, Odessa Rae
Genre: Thriller/Drama
Rating: Mature (violence, suggestive themes)
Comment: "An absolute horror to watch, yet one can't look away..."
The last time FPBM! watched something this impressive was the movie Misery [1990] starring James Caan and Kathy Bates. The film was notable not only for being what is arguably the best Stephen King adaptation to date, but more notably for the chilling and solid performances of the two lead actors.
Similar to that movie, Hard Candy spends most of it's running time featuring only confrontations between the two lead actors.
The story is simple enough; Hayley Stark (Ellen Page), a fourteen-year-old "Honour" student hunts down a man suspected as a sexual predator and attempts to expose him.
Ellen Page, whose rise to fame was credited to movies like X-Men: The Last Stand [2006] and Juno [2007], gave a no less standout performance in Hard Candy. In fact, FPBM! wouldn't be going out on a limb to claim that it is her best performance to date. Co-starring Patrick Wilson who gave an equally solid performance, this is not a thriller you would want to miss.
Although be warned, the film may not feature blood and gore, but it will leave you traumatised (the male audience especially).
Also noteworthy is how the film forgoes any tropes and conventions of Hollywood. In this film, the line between good and bad is blurry enough to spark a debate amongst audiences. Ultimately, you will find yourselves debating the age-old question of whether or not the end justifies the means.
Points Calculation
The Good [+100]
- Solid performances
- A psychological exercise
The Bad [-0]
- (None)
100 - 0 = 100 points
Similar to that movie, Hard Candy spends most of it's running time featuring only confrontations between the two lead actors.
The story is simple enough; Hayley Stark (Ellen Page), a fourteen-year-old "Honour" student hunts down a man suspected as a sexual predator and attempts to expose him.
Ellen Page, whose rise to fame was credited to movies like X-Men: The Last Stand [2006] and Juno [2007], gave a no less standout performance in Hard Candy. In fact, FPBM! wouldn't be going out on a limb to claim that it is her best performance to date. Co-starring Patrick Wilson who gave an equally solid performance, this is not a thriller you would want to miss.
Although be warned, the film may not feature blood and gore, but it will leave you traumatised (the male audience especially).
Also noteworthy is how the film forgoes any tropes and conventions of Hollywood. In this film, the line between good and bad is blurry enough to spark a debate amongst audiences. Ultimately, you will find yourselves debating the age-old question of whether or not the end justifies the means.
Points Calculation
The Good [+100]
- Solid performances
- A psychological exercise
The Bad [-0]
- (None)
100 - 0 = 100 points
