Fridae

This film that touches on paedophilia is a really tough movie to watch without squirming. It's not a one-sided bashing of predatory men, however, and also poses the question - what if the supposedly innocent sweet young things aren't as na�ve as they seem? Like most psychological thrillers, Hard Candy isn't without its loopholes, but the film is effective enough for audiences to not think about the contrivances - at least until the credits begin to roll.

The film opens with an online chat between Hayley (Ellen Page), a smart 14-year-old teenager, and Jeff (Patrick Wilson), a thirty-something fashion photographer, that leads to them setting up a meeting at a coffee joint. It seems to be Jeff's lucky day - Hayley is ready for fun, and soon she's at Jeff's place mixing potent screwdrivers and getting ready to strip for an impromptu photo shoot. That is, until Jeff passes out and finds himself tied to a chair, fully at the mercy of Hayley. The worst is yet to come - Hayley plans to force Jeff into confessing his penchant for underage girls, regardless of what it takes to make him talk - and she has some pretty convincing means...

Hard Candy's execution is similar to that of Saw - the events unfold in near real-time, and it's basically a movie about the interaction of characters in a confined area, with all the action and dialogue revolving around the two leads. Unlike Saw, however, Hard Candy's central characters are basically unlikeable in their own ways. Although Jeffrey is a charmer, his paedophilic tendencies will definitely turn off some audiences, whilst Hayley's behaviour is similar to a full-fledged sociopath and quite hard to empathise with.

Therein lies the beauty of Hard Candy. Watching this film is like gawking at roadkill - it's morbid and fascinating at the same time, and even though your mind tells you to look away, it simply cannot be done. It's a movie that challenges audiences to think, and to reevaluate their stance each time more information is revealed and the tables turned multiple times. Is Jeff truly guilty of what Hayley is accusing him of? Does that condone Hayley's rather appalling behaviour towards him? Does one bad deed truly deserve another?

Central to the film is the leads' performances, and the duo do not disappoint. Ellen Page is brilliant as Hayley, and her uncompromising performance alone is worth the price of entry. Page's Hayley is very intense and yet still manages to retain a slight naivete, which makes her subsequent actions even more chilling. Patrick Wilson serves as a good foil to Page, and his bookish good looks is definitely a plus.

Of course, Hard Candy is not without its flaws. Although the film moves along at a good pace, the last half hour includes just a little too many false endings, resulting in the film sagging a little. Also, the film feels rather authentic for the majority of its running time, but the final reel does get a little contrived and toes the line of believability.

Even then, many audiences will probably feel some form of sadistic glee at the end of Hard Candy, and discovering that you are in touch with the "dark side" could prove the most unsettling aspect of watching this film. Although Hard Candy is a small film when compared to the grand summer action blockbusters that have been crowding the screens, it's definitely worthy of a trip to the cinemas.