MovieChat Forums > Hard Candy (2006) Discussion > Hard Candy? This movie should have been ...

Hard Candy? This movie should have been called Sick Little Lunatic!

posted 10 years ago by mdonln
58 replies | jump to latest

Hard Candy is a deeply disturbing movie on so many levels. It’s very hard to watch. One thing it does extremely well and the reason people should see it is because it shows the inner workings and the thought process of a sick, psychotic mind.

Ellen Page plays this role chillingly well. She’s completely believable as this full-blown insane, cold-hearted, self-righteous, man-fearing, man-loathing, sociopath. Patrick Wilson is equally good in his role as the victim. What’s really sad is there may be a few people who see this film and side with her. They too were probably raised with ultra-Liberal, ultra-Feminist views and taught early on to hate men. In their sick, twisted minds, all things male are evil and anything women do to men is completely justified and acceptable. Let's be clear, I am a woman; just not one of these types.

The sad truth is the little depraved maniac had no problem playing with the guys genitals and torturing him. What does that say about her? If we condone her actions because she may have been at some point victimized then what about Jeff? Many child abusing, pedophile creeps had been abused themselves. Wait, before some of you cry foul and say this sounds like he had it coming so who cares, remember, he's not her only victim. Yes, he seems to confess but under duress some people will do and say anything. Consider how many people confess to crimes they didn’t commit. Anyway, my point is whatever Jeff may or may not have done, the little twit pulled other people into this too - both Janelle and Judy even Hayley herself (along with who knows who else) are also her victims. There’s no indication Janelle and Judy did anything wrong or were in cahoots with Jeff so there’s no justification possible there for pulling in innocent victims. In her case, everything Jeff says about this haunting her later would be true if she had a conscience or any compassion for anyone else but it will stay with her in other ways.

It’s likely Janelle and Judy will both be traumatized though by what Hayley’s done: Janelle will likely find Jeff's body. She may blame herself for having been at one time in love with or, at least, close to him; and for whatever the ‘evidence’ left strewn around his house may reveal. She’ll wonder why she didn’t see it and wonder if she might have been able to stop him or get him help because chances are she'll believe it all.

Judy, will ask herself what she might have done to prevent this murder. She lives a couple of doors down and has small female children who had at least enough contact with Jeff to have at one point taken his order for GS cookies. She’ll always wonder if he had taken advantage of her child(ren). Though, in her case, she also needs to do a little soul-searching and wonder why she’s so willing to put her children in the care of someone she just met, doesn’t know and, by the way, as we know, is a psycho, lunatic, killer. Presumably the police will investigate and figure out it was not some creep who suddenly decides to repent and kill himself. Someone else was there and has now gone missing - red flag.

Yes, I’ll say it again, murder! Like it or not, Hayley is a cold-blooded killer. Whatever did or did not happen to her; whatever Jeff did or did not do to anyone, she does not have the right to cause someone else’s death. This was NOT suicide and it was NOT self-defense on her part; it was first degree, pre-meditated, calculated murder. Period! That would make her eligible for the death penalty in states that have it.

In case anyone is feeling sorry for her, forget it. Whatever Jeff did or did not do, he should have his day in court. The story about his aunt and niece is a good way of showing how someone can be victimized, traumatized, and scarred for something that may not have happened. Mothers should protect their children but her overreaction may have been the very thing that caused him to become a pedophile; if that’s what he was. The kid was ten for crying out loud and her nephew. Keep him away from the daughter(s), sure, but get him help and don’t make the problem worse.

It’s obvious this movie angers and upsets me big time but what really bothers me most is the slightest possibility Hayley will get away with what she’s done. I despise pedophiles as much as the next person but if that’s what he was, all his possible victims deserved their day in court as well. Hayley deprived them of that for her own sick satisfaction and pleasure. Maybe this is how she gets her kicks; wouldn’t that make her a sex offender too? I say yes! For all her the venom she spews, she’s no different than and as vile as what she’s accusing him of being. It's a pathetic double standard.

In civilized society, we have laws and ways of dealing with criminals for a reason. Taking the law into our own hands in a situation like this is problematic. Mistakes can be made, chaos can ensue, and if we all were to act this way, we'd become no better than the criminals ourselves; the very thing we claim to hate. Don’t get me wrong, I say good-riddance to all criminals but what’s the benefit to society when we get rid of one criminal by creating another?

Sick, sick, sick!!!!

By the way, Jeff could have avoided the final outcome had he made different choices each time he broke free of Hayley. He did play right into her hands falling perfectly into her trap (which works for the plot of the movie) but I accept this as reasonable because the rage that built up in him while being tortured dictated his behavior. I do not feel his actions or the fact he did not call the police as ‘proof’ of his guilt either.

Had he called them and Hayley was caught, she’d have denied everything. Society would tend to side with her making it difficult, if not, impossible for him to prove his version of events is what had occurred that day. As humans, we all have that same ‘fight or flight’ instinct. We don't always know which way we'll go; some would have made one choice (to fight); others, the opposite choice (to flee). I do, on the other hand, have a hard time understanding why Judy failed to pick up on the signs that something was wrong. The girl had blood across her forehead and a lot of things seemed out of place yet all she could think of was snagging a babysitter? Come on!

[–] AndrewGS 8 years ago

Ellen Page plays this role chillingly well. She’s completely believable as this full-blown insane, cold-hearted, self-righteous, man-fearing, man-loathing, sociopath. Patrick Wilson is equally good in his role as the victim. What’s really sad is there may be a few people who see this film and side with her. They too were probably raised with ultra-Liberal, ultra-Feminist views and taught early on to hate men. In their sick, twisted minds, all things male are evil and anything women do to men is completely justified and acceptable.

Of course the character is pretty cold-hearted and self-righteous and even sadistic but I don't think it's indicated that she hates men in general rather than just male pedophiles. She could be prone to suspect men of being pedophiles but even from the information from the beginning she was not unjustified in thinking Jeff was one.

Anyway, my point is whatever Jeff may or may not have done, the little twit pulled other people into this too - both Janelle and Judy even Hayley herself (along with who knows who else) are also her victims. There’s no indication Janelle and Judy did anything wrong or were in cahoots with Jeff so there’s no justification possible there for pulling in innocent victims.

True, what's most problematic about Hayley is someone so sadistic is likely to want to hurt a lot more people rather than just those who hurt others. The film poses as a question whether she would do so or would be focused but the end somewhat subtly suggests that she would hurt others-since she had no problem and maybe even enjoyed the idea of hurting/traumatizing Janelle. I don't think Judy would be particularly traumatized (there was no real reason she should be suspicious enough to have intervened or would feel guilty about not saving Jeff when she learns of his crimes) but Janelle likely would be.

also needs to do a little soul-searching and wonder why she’s so willing to put her children in the care of someone she just met, doesn’t know and, by the way, as we know, is a psycho, lunatic, killer.

You seem pretty judgmental yourself, oddly enough about that a lot of people aren't highly suspicious.

Jeff could have avoided the final outcome had he made different choices each time he broke free of Hayley. He did play right into her hands falling perfectly into her trap (which works for the plot of the movie) but I accept this as reasonable because the rage that built up in him while being tortured dictated his behavior. I do not feel his actions or the fact he did not call the police as ‘proof’ of his guilt either.

He had a right to be feel some rage at her behavior but it didn't justify him coming at her with a knife, that's a pretty good indication he was pretty violent before.

[–] brux (14774) 7 years ago

>> What’s really sad is there may be a few people who see this film and side with her. They too were probably raised with ultra-Liberal, ultra-Feminist views and taught early on to hate men

I saw this movie in the theater, and I agree it was deeply disturbing on a lot of levels.

But that said, I do not know why so many posts here go off the deep end. You have no idea how people are raised of what effect it has on them. A lot of people raised in Liberal households turn out the exact opposite because of parental rebellion - you just never know. So why is it people have to make comments like this. It just makes you sound like you are a little crazy. It is just a character in a movie.

You also tend to sell "society" short. Sure people hear a story and they get a visceral reaction at first, but most people try to find out the facts and react to them. My God, it has been12 years not, so no wonder I don't remember it.