Hard Candy

Hard Candy is one of those rare films that grabs your attention right at the beginning and doesn’t let it go until long after the credits stop rolling. It is brilliantly written by Brian Nelson a playwright who has a sense for how engaging characters really can be. David Slade shines in his first feature length project with a directing style that is not over-stylized but knows how to use the right tools to do the right thing – especially when it comes to ratcheting up the tension and letting the characters come into their own without the emotional manipulation that accompanies most thrillers. Ellen Page plays her role brilliantly and is completely captivating in the cat-and-mouse game that is Hard Candy. To reveal to much of the plot would not be fair but if you are looking for a movie that even when has it’s predictable moments manages to bring in a few twists and definitely knows how to keep you tense and on your toes. Then Hard Candy is the film for you. It is psychological thriller at its finest – stripped down, all muscle, and able to get under your skin whether you want it to or not.