Hard Candy
I rented this movie on the recommendation of an old college buddy. In fact, we were once in the same sci-fi/fantasy movie club, proving that we have at least somewhat similar tastes when it comes to movies. Thus, I’m inclined to trust his judgment on the occasion that he takes the time out of his artistry to blog about a movie. It wasn’t as if my wife and I had anything left in our Netflix queue anyway.
The movie portrays the meeting of a seemingly naive teenage girl and an older man she met in an online chat room. It’s the sort of scenario that sets of all kinds of alarms, which works very effectively to pull the viewer into the story. They go to his house, have some alcohol, and engage in typical social banter. The whole thing is completely innocent until the biggest plot twist hits you upside the head. She drugs him, ties him up, and tortures him for being a pedophile. This is, to say the least, the exact reverse of what you’re led to expect.
Now, I won’t give away the ending, or whether the guy deserves what he gets. Let’s just say that my friend’s summation of the movie as “intense” is a gross understatement. Hard Candy will drown you in drama, often to the point of being disturbing to watch. If you’re anything like my wife and I, you’ll keep the movie in the back of your mind for several days after finishing it, remembering the scenes with vivid detail and thinking, “Man, that was a messed up movie.”
Therein lies the only real reason to watch it. It’s a dramatic but realistic portrayal of sadism. If you’re not into that sort of thing, I would avoid it. Then again, if you enjoy messed up movies that will require days of emotional recovery, this one’s a must-see. Incidentally, my wife says I’m not allowed to take my friend’s movie recommendations anymore. 