The Bottom Line
Patrick Wilson and Ellen Page give mesmerizing performances in Hard Candy, a gritty thriller from writer Brian Nelson and director David Slade. Tackling a subject matter that's often watered down on screen (when it's even approached at all), Hard Candy is an extraordinary film that's difficult to watch yet impossible to ignore.
Pros
- Amazing performances
- An intense, uncompromising thriller
- Decent collection of bonus features
Cons
- None worth noting
Description
- 'Creating Hard Candy' - 7 featurettes on the production, the cast, and origin of the story
- 'Controversial Confection' - More on the plot of Hard Candy
- 6 deleted and extended scenes
- Commentary by Patrick Wilson and Ellen Page
- Commentary by director David Slade and writer Brian Nelson
- DVD Release Date: September 19, 2006
Guide Review - Hard Candy DVD Review
Patrick Wilson stars as Jeff, a photographer who likes to chat up underage girls on the Internet. Actually, chatting them up doesn't aptly describe Jeff's inappropriate interest in young girls.
Making a date with Hayley (Page), a 14-year-old he's been communicating with in a chat room, Jeff thinks he's ready for whatever goes down. But Hayley's not as innocent as she appears...and in no way is Jeff prepared for the events that unfold when the two return to his home.
While there are a couple of other actors who say a few lines in Hard Candy, this is basically a two-person show. Thanks to incredibly intense performances from the leads, well-written dialogue, and stunning direction, Hard Candy doesn't need a lot of bells and whistles to tell the story.
