Hard Candy (2005) - Review and Analysis by Scott Wood for Critical-Film.com

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Hard Candy A film review by Scott Wood For Critical-film.com   Movies about pedophiles are very few and far between, so I always try to make a habit of seeing films based around this subject. “Birth” offered some very original context to the material, and now David Slade's film seems to go in another direction, turning villain to victim to equally controversial results.   “Hard Candy” deals with (obviously) very touchy subject matter, and at first anyways, seems very adept and unflinching while doing so. The idea that there are sexual predators on the internet that prey on young adults is not new in terms of magazine shows like “60 Minutes” or “Dateline,” but it is a relatively unexplored subject within the cinematic realm. I suppose the reason may be that there is not much you can do with material such as this without running the risk of being wholly insensitive to the victims of such actual events, or even in a way to the predators. “Hard Candy” does not seem to care about either party in particular, which at first is to its benefit, but its indifferent attitude towards its characters will ultimately end up being the major problem.   That being said, the opening scenes of the film are where it really shines. The interplay between the two main characters is very real, throwing a sort of unspoken eroticism in amongst the inane banter, and certain shyness about saying anything overt about each others' intentions for when they get back to Jeff's apartment. There is subtle flattery: “You look much older than that” (fifteen years old), Jeff offers to Hayley at one point. She doesn't. And also casual sloughing of potential sexual play based on the age difference, which I would assume would have to be realistic given the circumstance. Patrick Wilson (Jeff) plays his role like a man whose shouting conscience cannot supersede his sexual desire, and he does it very well. Most directors would take a kind of disgust to character such as Jeff, while Slade offers instead what he would believe to be a realistic portrait of an internet child predator.   The drawback for a movie such as this is that if the filmmakers don't go all the way, there is no point of going in the first place. “Hard Candy” sets itself up for moments where it should go for the jugular, but every time it gets there it holds back. As a normal, non-pedophile audience we should applaud the actions of Hayley, but I don't know which character is worse; her or Jeff. Because of this, the suspense is built around the wrong character. One should not want the pedophile to get away, but considering the circumstance, they almost do. And at points where the audience might sympathize with Hayley, she pulls back and becomes even more sadistic which wrecks the film even more.   Real satisfaction for the audience in “Hard Candy” would have come any number of different ways, but not in the way that actually comes about. It sets itself up for success with a unique take on the relationship between victim and predator, but because of this ambition, confuses whom is who, and falls irreparably flat.   (Two stars)   This review was provided in HTML format, as your browser is not capable of displaying flash content. To experience Critical-Film.com the way it was meant to be seen, please download the flash player from <a href="http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash&promoid=BIOW">Macromedia</a>.