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Patrick Wilson, Ellen Page, Sandra Oh, Jennifer Holmes, John Gilbert ... see more see more... , Odessa Rae

A teenage girl agrees to meet a thirtysomething fashion photographer in person after becoming acquainted with him in an online chat room, and the resulting encounter finds the line between predator an... read more read more...d prey slipping slowly out of focus in director David Slade's provocative and topical thriller. Hayley (Ellen Page) is a 14-year-old teen whose emotional maturity seems to betray her tender age. Jeff (Patrick Wilson) is a potential child predator whose intentions toward his young chat buddy seem less than honorable. After meeting in a coffeehouse and getting to know each other briefly in person, Jeff invites Haley back to his place, and it's not long before Jeff's underage guest is pouring drinks and posing provocatively for an impromptu photo shoot. As the evening's questionable activities take a decidedly sordid slant and the raptorial Jeff appears poised to strike, a sudden turn of events finds that his apparent victim has had a plan of her own from the very beginning. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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76% liked it

100,193 ratings

Critics

68% liked it

136 critics

R, 1 hr. 45 min.

Directed by: David Slade

Release Date: April 14, 2006

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DVD Release Date: September 19, 2006

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Stats: 12,351 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (12,351)

  • jmanard52
    June 29, 2008
    jmanard52
    Ellen Page (Juno) puts on what must be one of the greatest performances ive ever seen. This movie is amazing and after seeing this and Juno I can safely say Ellen Page will be an incredible actress for a long time to come. This creepy tables turned thrill er is top notch from wri... read moreting to directing to acting. The leads sizzle throughout this movie and when it all comes to an end you are left with a stomcach full of rattled nerves. Wonderful, top notch. must see
  • aquateen2
    March 8, 2012
    aquateen2
    This is without a doubt one of the most disturbing films I have ever seen. The mirror image of main character Hayley is Ellen Page who is perfectly cast for the brilliantly insane but incredibly intelligent protaganist and performs outstandingly with emotional depth and charisma... read more in a way that's very much more memorable than any actress i've seen in a while. Trust me when I stress that this film will be hard for many to digest because it's brutal, gritty, tremendously intense and with great ambition; intellectually open minded, so I wouldn't suggest you see it unless your like me and enjoy this sort of movie. The result of the intriguing and daring premise is the truthfully art house film; Hard Candy. A near perfect psychological thriller that's directed carefully and solidly and is determined to keep you as uncomfortable as possible throughout it's viewing and even more so when you've finished watching it.
  • fb791220692
    December 26, 2011
    fb791220692
    This movie is disturbing and often fascinating. Ellen Page really holds things together in a great, terrifying early performance. Considering there are basically only two characters in the film (the other played formidably by Patrick Wilson), they do a great job of keeping the di... read morealogue tense. However, Hard Candy too often finds itself on the edge of believability; there is a distinct lack of explanation that leads many of the events that occur to seem highly unrealistic. I couldn't buy a lot of the movie, and it also made me cringe quite a lot, two things I can't really forgive the movie for easily. Still, I can't really blame the movie for being uncomfortable given that is the point of it, and Ellen Page is certainly talented enough that any fans of hers who don't mind sitting through some horrifying scenes might want to give this a try.
  • LoughnerWasLucid
    September 16, 2011
    LoughnerWasLucid
    Loved IT!!!!!!!!!!
  • bobbinrobin16
    September 13, 2011
    bobbinrobin16
    A hardcore film showing Ellen Page's early promise. Perhaps unnecessarily gory at parts but a great psychological thriller none the less.
  • fb1216165431
    September 10, 2011
    fb1216165431
    Ellen Page satisfies with a chilling performance in a mission for truth and justice against a suspected pedophile in Hard Candy. A high tension, controversial work that obscures the bounds of morality.
  • sergioogarcia
    August 9, 2011
    sergioogarcia
    I found it enterteining enough to keep me watching the whole 1:45hrs. I liked the close-ups again and again and again. Keeps you on the edge of feeling that privacy and claustrophobic atmosphere with an disturbed person...jeez. so good for the camera man, the story and both actor... read mores did a good job. In lack of better options for suspense movies I'll recommend it.
  • xXGiNoBiLiPRXx
    June 27, 2011
    xXGiNoBiLiPRXx
    Strangers shouldn't talk to little girls.

    Very good film! Very wicked I liked it. Great acting by both Ellen Page and Patrick Wilson, two thumbs up! The story was excellent. I had mixed feeling during the movie thinking of which side to pick on but I just let it go and just wat... read morech it developed. Loved the ending.

    For three weeks, 14-year-old Hayley Stark has been chatting on-line with 'Lensmaster319', a 32-year old fashion photographer, named Jeff. The two agree to meet at a coffee shop called Nighthawks. They hit it off, despite the massive age difference. Hayley appears to flirt with Jeff, and Jeff generally restrains himself, even admitting that he must wait 4-years until he can be with her. But his reservations are apparently not enough to decline when Hayley all but invites herself over to his house. Once at the house, manipulation becomes the name of the game, and the pedophile seems to be on the non-traditional side of it.
  • FiLmCrAzY
    June 25, 2011
    FiLmCrAzY
    I quite liked this movie, i like the originality of the script and the storyline.
    I like the way that at first you instantly know that Patrick WIlsons character is guilty of some sort of child abuse as he's meeting a 14yr old, however then you are introduced to this other side o... read moref Ellen Page's character. She is suddenly this revenge seeking vegilate that you get the impression that she's doing it on behalf of a missing friend.
    Its a great psychological thriller however i like answer to my questions, i like to know backgrounds to characters that im introduced too.
    You arent given any information onto ellen pages character apart from the fact that she is probably insane maybe due to child abuse herself as you find something about the fact her parents dont seem to be on the scene much, but you arent given any indepth information about her character leaving unanswered questions and your just left with speculation.
    Other than that i like the originality of the movie, i love the way she manipulates her subjects into doing what she says. Its worth a watch.
  • murphmann93
    June 23, 2011
    murphmann93
    Weird yet nothing but empathy for Ellen Pages character. Both actors/actresses played there part exceptionally.

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Critic Reviews

Jonathan Rosenbaum
November 15, 2011
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

Personally, I'd rather have this movie obliterated from my memory. Full Review

Peter Howell
April 28, 2006
Peter Howell, Toronto Star

It's well worth seeing, because it is well made -- apart from a few gaps in logic -- and well acted. Full Review

Mick LaSalle
April 28, 2006
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

Hard Candy is an exploitation film, with very little happening but a guy getting tortured for about 75 minutes of screen time. Full Review

Steven Rea
April 28, 2006
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

... icky, incoherent thriller ...

Roger Moore
April 28, 2006
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

It's cinematic S&M, a bondage-control game masquerading as a thriller. Full Review

Amy Biancolli
April 28, 2006
Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle

... a revolting piece of work. Full Review

Liam Lacey
April 28, 2006
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail

Hard Candy not only trips along a tightrope line between exploitation and art; in some ways, that line is its subject. Full Review

Tom Long
April 28, 2006
Tom Long, Detroit News

Hard Candy is sweet poison indeed. Full Review

Terry Lawson
April 28, 2006
Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press

The questions posed by Hard Candy may not be as profound as the filmmakers believe, but they are enough to keep us thinking for the length of a movie that deftly uses exploitation to explore exploitat... Full Review

Robert Denerstein
April 28, 2006
Robert Denerstein, Denver Rocky Mountain News

Instead of telling a story, Hard Candy cooks up one grueling ordeal after another.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Facts

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    • Jeff Kohlver: I never touched you. I was trying to hold you off me, while I called the cops.
    • Hayley Stark: Oh. [Picks up the photo of the missing girl, Donna Mauer, and holds it for him to see] And would you have shown them this? Why do you have a picture of Donna Mauer in your safe? And, and, well, have you seen her? Because no one else has!
    • Jeff Kohlver: You were coming on to me!
    • Hayley Stark: Oh, come on. That's what they always say, Jeff.
    • Jeff Kohlver: Who?
    • Hayley Stark: Who? The pedophiles! 'Oh, she was so sexy. She was asking for it.' 'She was only technically a girl, she acted like a woman.' It's just so easy to blame a kid, isn't it! Just because a girl knows how to imitate a woman, does NOT mean she's ready to do what a woman does!
    • Jeff Kohlver: Who the hell are you?
    • Hayley Stark: I am every little girl you ever watched, touched, hurt, screwed, killed.
    • Jeff Kohlver: [while tied down to a chair] Look, look. I've been lonely, okay? And that makes me stupid, but I am not a pedophile. [talking at the same time as Hayley answers him back] Look, this is some horrible mistake. Just untie me now and we'll forget this whole thing ever happened. Just untie me now!
    • Hayley Stark: Okay, well you know what? I am not lonely and therefore not stupid. I untie you, you might understandably be a little peeved. So when I am ready to go, I'll call a cab and call another one to let you loose!
    • Jeff Kohlver: And when will that be?
    • Hayley Stark: I'm not sure yet!
    • Jeff Kohlver: Ah, so you and your mom are both wacked?
    • Hayley Stark: I dunno. There's that whole nature versus nurture question, isn't it? Was I born a cute, vindictive, little bitch or... did society make me that way? I go back and forth on that.
    • Hayley Stark: You used the same phrases about Goldfrapp as they use on Amazon.com. Busted!
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Hard Candy Trivia

  • Which "X-Men: The Last Stand" actress shocked audiences everywhere with her vicious portrayl of a merciless young woman in the 2006 thriller "Hard Candy"?  Answer »
  • In the film Hard Candy, the teenager performs an operation on her hostage. What does she say she's going to remove?  Answer »
  • Boasting a single digit cast, this movie is a modern re-telling of Little Red Riding Hood, only the wolf is also being hunted.  Answer »
  • What is Jeffs user name in Hard Candy ?  Answer »
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