| One of the most pitch
perfect jobs of casting in film history exists within "Hard Candy",
an edgy thriller that deserves to reach an audience outside that of
the indie theatre circuit. If you haven't found this film in
theatres or on DVD, make sure to set aside a rental night with
friends and family -- it is sure to create extreme tension & lively
discussion. The pitch perfect casting is that of Ellen Page, a
superb young actress whose features are pure and innocent,
trustworthy and amiable. Her character, however, may not be as
lovely as her outward persona. She plays Hayley, a very young
girl seemingly being seduced by an online predator.
That predator is Jeff, an artsy photographer played by Patrick
Wilson -- his role is powerful and authentic, one that is every bit
the equal to Page's tour-de-force.
The film is essentially a two character play, set in one house,
as Hayley and Jeff meet for the first time after numerous
flirtatious instant message chats.
Fantastic Poster Art for "Hard Candy"
The dialogue flows back and forth, entirely natural and full of
innuendo and double-entendres. It is some of the best writing
in any film this year. The couple dance around the issues at
the forefront of all of our minds, circling ever closer to the
ultimate subjects... age and sex.
"Hard Candy" delicately circumnavigates the lurid possibilities
until the character's intentions become vividly clear almost half
way through the film. After that, it switches gears and
becomes a visceral thriller with some horrific psychological torture
and threatening confrontation. It will have you chomping the
fingernails ferociously.
The film raises significant questions about vigilante justice and
the dangers of the internet for young girls. "Hard Candy" is
an important film and a tremendously exciting one too. I
highly recommend it to the millions of you who didn't get to hear
about it in the limited marketing scheme. |
