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Movie reviews: Hard Candy

Issues which regard the internet and sexual predators are rarely addressed on film. They may find its too much of a subject matter to even dwell on. However that changed when audiences were treated to a psychological thriller called "Hard Candy."

I first became fascinated with wanting to see this film after I heard Ellen Page (who is best known for doing the film "Juno") had co-starred in it with Patrick Wilson (a well respected theater actor who appeared in the movie version of "The Phantom of the Opera"). To say the most, I was very impressed with it, but at the same time, the movie left a lot in the way of being terrifying.

Page plays Hayley Stark, a young 14-year old girl who flirts with an older 32-year old man named Jeff Kohlver (Wilson) on the internet. They agree to take the time to meet each other, and go back to his place. At first it was a little disturbing to see that happen with the actual meeting at the beginning of the film. However, things take a drastic turn after Haley drugs him, and straps him down to a chair. From there she begins to pound Jeff for information about being a suspected pedophile, and how he is related to the disappearance of a missing girl.

Finally, as Haley finds evidence against Jeff, he tries to come after her with a gun. Yet Haley succeeds by nearly suffocating him with plastic wrap. It is at this moment when Haley takes more of the law into her own hands by tying Jeff to a table, and threatening to castrate him. While Jeff goes through his own torcher that he has brought only on himself, I found it very hard to even sit through the film. Just the very thought of what Haley does to him makes me sick to even watch it. Even though I know that she didn't "actually" do anything to Jeff. After seeing the film a couple more times, I am now able to tolerate it enough.

Other than the performances Ellen Page has given in films like "Mouth to Mouth," and "The Tracey Fragments," this is by far one of her greatist film roles of all time. Page herself, in the DVD commentary of this film, has stated that her character is the most honest, intelligent, and passionate person that she has ever been proud to play. I could see why she likes her so much. The character of Haley is totally black-and-white, and sees something wrong with society (as Ellen herself has stated more) that truly makes her angry because it's ignored almost all the time. She feels that she would be doing the public a huge service by torchering Jeff. However, the easiest


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