Hard Candy

R

Released Jan 25, 2005

1h 43m

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

List

67%

149 Reviews

Tomatometer

77%

100,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Hayley is a precocious teenager who goes to a coffee shop to meet Jeff, the photographer she met on the internet. Jeff thinks he is in for a real treat, but Hayley plays a trick on him. After drugging Jeff and tying him down, Hayley reveals that she knows Jeff preys on teenage girls, and she has a plan to wring a confession from him.

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Critics Consensus

Disturbing, controversial, but entirely engrossing, Hard Candy is well written with strong lead performances, especially that of newcomer Elliot Page. A movie that stays with the viewer long after leaving the theater.

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Miranda A

Hard Candy is a truly nerve wrecking movie that will leave you questioning your own existence for days. It goes out to all you predators on the internet, that not everyone you talk to is a young, innocent child.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/24/24

Full Review

Jeff C

The character hayley is seeping with sexiness. Cruel, but kind. An appealing combination.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

12/18/23

Full Review

Brenda K

Sweet justice for all the innocent victims..

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/05/23

Full Review

Logan D

A pedophile gets more than he expects when he decides to meet a 14 year old. Page, who was around 18 at the time of filming, is the heart of this film. Wilson does well but Page dominates the screen with an impressively smart performance. Very believable dialogue and layered with moral quandary. Coincidentally viewed this in a sequence of 4 films involving pedophilia as a theme. The others were Calvary, Spotlight, and Big Bad Wolves.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

10/02/23

Full Review

Brooke E

Awful, wish I hadn't wasted the time. Patrick did a great job with his acting, but both the casting of & overacting of Ellen Page was unbearable.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

09/22/23

Full Review

Dani G

A 2 person movie, basically. a little twist in the Red Riding Hood and the Wolf story

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

09/06/23

Full Review

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David Slade

Director

Patrick Wilson

Geoff Kohlver

Elliot Page

Hayley Stark

Sandra Oh

Judy Tokuda

Odessa Rae

Janelle Rogers

Gilbert John

Nighthawks Clerk

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Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

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

Nov 15, 2011

Full Review

Caroline Westbrook

Empire Magazine

A cracking little thriller which makes you think even as it's keeping you on the edge of your seat. It's not always easy viewing, but Hard Candy is an intelligent, challenging film which deserves to be seen.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 30, 2006

Full Review

Paul Byrnes

Sydney Morning Herald

This swamp gets very murky indeed. Bring your moral compass.

Jul 14, 2006

Full Review

Trace Thurman

Horror Queers Podcast

A masterclass in direction, screenwriting and acting, Hard Candy goes for the jugular and never lets up.

Rated: 4.5/5

Nov 27, 2023

Full Review

Joe Lipsett

Horror Queers Podcast

David Slade's directorial feature is low key a secret rape/revenge film that features powerhouse performances from Elliot Page and Patrick Wilson and plenty of uncomfortable moments.

Rated: 4/5

Nov 23, 2023

Full Review

James Croot

Stuff.co.nz

Nelson's taut, smart script and believable dialogue keeps the tension crackling throughout the 103-minute running time, changing gears just when you think you've got it all figured out.

Rated: 4.5/5

Dec 2, 2020

Full Review

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Synopsis

Hayley is a precocious teenager who goes to a coffee shop to meet Jeff, the photographer she met on the internet. Jeff thinks he is in for a real treat, but Hayley plays a trick on him. After drugging Jeff and tying him down, Hayley reveals that she knows Jeff preys on teenage girls, and she has a plan to wring a confession from him.

Director: David Slade
Producer: Richard Hutton, Rosanne Korenberg, Michael Caldwell, Paul Allen
Screenwriter: Brian Nelson
Distributor: Lionsgate Films
Production Co: Launchpad Productions, Vulcan Productions, Lions Gate Films, IcePack Pictures
Rating: R (Involving Teen|Aberrant Sexual Content|Language|Violent Sexual Content)
Genre: Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 25, 2005, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Apr 14, 2006
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 26, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.0M
Runtime: 1h 43m

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