HARD CANDY
Year: 2005
USA & UK: Lionsgate Films
Cast: Patrick Wilson, Ellen Page, Sandra Oh, Jennifer Holmes, Gilbert John
Director: David Slade
Country: USA
USA & UK: 103 mins
USA Rated: R for disturbing violent and aberrant sexual content involving a teen, and for language
UK Certificate: 18 contains strong sadistic violence
USA Release Date: 28 April 2006 (Limited Release - wider)
USA Release Date: 14 April 2006 (Limited Release)
UK Release Date: 16 June 2006
UK Distributor
Synopsis
A smart, charming teenage girl, Hayley Stark (Ellen Page) probably shouldn't be going to a local coffee shop to meet Jeff Kohlver, a 30-something fashion photographer she met on the Internet. But Hayley's ready to have fun, and soon she's mixing screwdrivers at Jeff's place and stripping for an impromptu photo shoot. It's Jeff's lucky night - until his vision blurs and he passes out.
Suffice to say Hayley isn't as innocent as she looks after all. In fact, she has a lot on her mind. Like getting Jeff to confess to his penchant for teenage girls - and to what he did to Donna Mauer, the girl who disappeared from Jeff's favorite coffee shop. When Jeff awakens, he's tied to a chair. If he doesn't cooperate, Hayley has something to help him along--a little surgical procedure she picked up on the Internet. All she needs is an ice pack. And a knife...
An edge-of-your-seat psychotic thriller, HARD CANDY exposes the visceral terror and violence that lie at the heart of the battle of the sexes. Starring Patrick Wilson (Jeff) and Ellen Page (Hayley Stark) and Sandra Oh (Judy Tokuda), HARD CANDY is directed by David Slade, written by Brian Nelson, produced by David Higgins, Richard Hutton and Michael Caldwell, and executive produced by Jody Patton, Rosanne Korenberg and Paul G. Allen.
It is the latest film from Vulcan Productions (FAR FROM HEAVEN, TITUS) in association with Launchpad Productions. The director of photography is Jo Willems, the editor is Art Jones and the production designer is Jeremy Reed. The original music is by Harry Esscott and Molly Nyman, and the casting is by Valerie McCaffrey.