Hard Candy

Even before Facebook and MySpace developed into social and cultural phenomenons--Microsoft’s MSN, mIRC, YahooChat, and Hotmail back in the late 90’s and the early 2000’s, through various tools and services, offered an outlet for social communication and networking. That was the Web 1.0 era. What we have now is the buildup of the chat room revolution with more complex and integrated Web sites that are harnessing Web users scattered around the world. The revolutionized Web world has been upgraded to Web 2.0, with blogs, free content, chat rooms, social sites, and personalization forming the foundation of the new-generation Web. But whether the platform of interaction is Web 1.0 or Web 2.0, the Web has made it possible for anyone to reach out to a wider community in the social domain, even if it means interacting with strangers.

What’s more, it is very easy to remain anonymous in the Web world--just create an ID and you are set to interact. Many chat rooms around the world act as hubs to hook up people looking to date others or just form friendships. Not only does this open the door to aberrant behavior, however, it also invites criminals in the form of sex offenders, pedophiles, thieves, and many more who can interact on-line without revealing their true identity and motives. With the high anonymity factor, a seamlessly friendly chatting session can later turn for the worse. “Hardy Candy” (2005) uses this as the starting point to tell us a story of a pedophile and a teenage girl.

“Hardy Candy” begins with a thirty-two year old, Jeff (Patrick Wilson), and a fourteen year old, Hayley (Ellen Page), meeting at a coffee shop after a brief chat-room session. It appears that both of them have been interacting on-line for quite some time now, but it is for the first time they meet in person. Soon, Jeff takes Hayley to his house for a photo shoot. Meanwhile, Hayley has other plans, and she mixes something in Jeff’s drink and he passes out. Moments later, Jeff is tied to a chair, and he begins to question Hayley’s intentions. As it turns out, it is the other way round, and Hayley sheds some light on why Jeff is held in a captive-like situation.

Before playing the character of a teenage girl in both “Juno” (2007) and “Whip it” (2009) and that of a young architect in “Inception” (2010), Ellen Page’s performance in “Hard Candy” is an eye-opener, in that it is extraordinarily different from her later performances. Hayley’s character is gutsy, fearless, and smart. Before meeting Jeff, she has thoroughly planned every move and executes them at the right moments, leaving Jeff immensely surprised till the very end. Within a few opening moments, she rapidly transforms to a brutally assaultive, vengeance-seeking girl. Of course, it’s a metaphor for a girl who initially appeared innocent and tender, is now a tough nut to crack, and thereby rightly coined as a “Hard Candy” character. The story is a cat-and-mouse game in which Hayley has trapped Jeff in his own house, for which there is no escape. Jeff is totally taken aback by Hayley’s transformation, which only makes him feel like a victim. Is he really a victim of a mistaken identity? Probably not.

Through conversations between Jeff and Hayley, we learn of Jeff’s deviant behavior with young girls in the past. But he tries to brush it aside by explaining his professional efforts done for a good environmental cause, and how his photo sessions have helped the models in their careers. More so, he does not admit anything wrong with him approaching young girls. Maybe this is the first sign of pedophilia--their being dismissive and unaccountable for their actions. At the halfway mark, the movie takes a wicked turn, and we begin to feel for Jeff when Hayley performs a horrific procedure on him. You feel for him because he keeps on saying: “You got the wrong guy,” giving us the impression that he might be innocent, after all. But behind his innocent façade, it might be an absolute denial and lie from a pedophile.

The filmmakers have paid close attention to the aesthetics in Jeff’s house. His house has a contemporary look: dark red and blue painted walls and an expensive glass table in the center--with objects arranged in a minimalist way, giving us the scope of his wealth. Nonetheless, Jeff’s money makes us wonder if he is innocent--after all, money can buy anything, but most rich people are not perverts. In addition, the film mainly occurs inside the two rooms of Jeff’s house--a perfect setting for a chamber drama. Director David Slade says in a bonus item that the movie is mostly shot with close-ups, and you rarely see long shots. As a result, the characters’ actions and emotional reactions are enclosed within the house. It’s director’s artistic imprint on the sets that makes for an absorbing and believable film experience.

Additionally, the director employs an avant-garde style in a few scenes when Jeff is physically traumatized; you see red walls and then a brief moment with a black screen; however, the scene reverts back and now we see the red wall. It’s an effective way to depict off-screen violence, with the red being a symbolic representation of the aftermath of violence.

With its short running time, “Hard Candy” is a taut thriller that manages to hold our attention and does not disappoint. Indeed, the performances by Patrick Wilson and Ellen Page are chilling and very realistic, especially in the context of the subject matter covered by the script. The performances are helped by the fact that both of the actors are wholly immersed in their characters. The conversations between them are full of tension, which makes for a gripping viewing experience.

Despite these positives, “Hard Candy” is in no way a social commentary on pedophiles, nor does it explore a victim-abuser relationship to a great extent. Even if you buy the twisted ending, it only makes you wonder what it would have been like if the writers had crafted the story the other way around. My guess is the end result would have been more thought-provoking. Instead, the writers were focused primarily in filling in the blanks.

On the narrative side, there can be another interpretation of Hayley’s actions. In the climax, after everything is revealed by Hayley and Jeff, the only thing you wonder what if Hayley was a…. But how can I disclose the twist. Watch it for yourself, and you will see what I mean. The biggest question remains: Who is the victim here?

Video:
“Hard Candy” was made for a paltry budget of $950,000, and it looks damn good to me in the 1080p transfer. Jeff’s house comes to life with bright and vibrant colors. The grain provides for a gritty viewing experience in some scenes, especially when Jeff is trying to make his moves. Likewise, the skin tones are accurate and well-defined. I did not notice any trace of DNR or noise in the image.

Audio:
Lionsgate has included a lossless 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track, which for the most part is driven by the front channels. The dialogue is consistently clear and sharp. During escape sequences, the rear channels kick in to provide for a full surround effect. Overall, the soundtrack works well.

Extras:
Starting off the extras, we get two audio commentary tracks. The first is with directord David Slade and writer Brian Nelson, and the second track with actors Ellen Page and Patrick Wilson. Both tracks are good to listen to as they provide details on the characters, the idea behind “Hard Candy,” and the script.

Following this, we have an informative, six-part featurette, “Creating Hard Candy.” In this, the director, the writer, and the actors discuss their thoughts on the story, pedophilia, artistic choices, and the location for the film. Director David Slade explains how the film’s palette was created. The film was first shot as it is and then transferred to another negative where they created a dark and colorful palette. He also explains the challenges involved in using an anamorphic lens in shooting long shots.

Next, we have a short featurette, “Controversial Confection,” in which the writer and director discuss the concept behind the title of the movie. Up next, we get a set of six deleted sequences. Ending the extras is an original theatrical trailer. Also provided is an option to view the movie in English or Spanish titles.

Parting Thoughts:
“Hard Candy” is a difficult film to watch, but this should not deter anyone interested in seeing Ellen Page’s breakthrough performance, which is surely going to rank high. The story is compelling, with believable characters and situations. The film deals with pedophilia and condemns it with a fair degree of violence that is inflicted by a female vigilante. Does this mean that justice is served in this case? Depending on how you agree with the narrative structure and the final twist, the interpretation can work both ways: from Jeff’s angle as well as Hayley’s angle. This Blu-ray offers a stunning-looking transfer with a number of informative extras. Highly recommended.