Candy | DVD Review

A door opens to reveal a beautiful, blonde girl. She has let in the light and it envelops her in radiance. She is innocence; she is a savior; she can bring happiness to your directionless life. She is Candy.

Directed and co-written by Neil Armfield (along with novelist, Luke Davies), CANDY tells the story of a young girl who falls for the wrong kind of guy. He only wants his life to get better by being with her and that eclipses the fact that hers will only get worse by being with him. In that sense, no matter how romantic or passionate, Dan (Heath Ledger) is, he will always be selfish at heart. Broken into three acts, CANDY goes from bad to worse in tone and is not for the faint of heart. Though this twosome is doomed from the start, their love is always felt on screen. The viewer hopes for these two hopeless souls as they drift further and further away from their own salvation. To ensure the viewer doesn’t lose themselves in the despair of these characters, the caliber of the acting has to be high and it is. Ledger and Abbie Cornish (as Candy) run the wide range of emotions that come with the highs and lows of addiction. They do not beg for your sympathy but they get it regardless through Armfield’s delicate guidance. Though the film never found its audience in theatres, likely due to its hollowing effect, it will hopefully find its way into people’s living rooms as it is moving and heartbreaking, yet somehow hopeful in an honest way.

The feature commentary between writer and director does nothing to liven up the morose tone of the film as the two rattle on, as is too often the case in DVD commentary, as if they were in a hushed cinema, trying to respect the other patrons. Still, their love for their craft and their film comes through, even if all we get are bits about the writer’s car being used in this shot or the director’s handwriting being used in another. Perhaps the most hilarious bit in the commentary is when the writer mentions a few times that he truly found the sound of flies buzzing in one scene to be far too distracting. Armfield replies that he should then not use flies when he makes his own film some day. Aside from the theatrical trailer, the DVD also contains a making-of feature, entitled, “The Path to Wild Abandon.” Through interviews with Armfield, Davies and producer, Margaret Fink, the feature details the casting and subsequent chemistry that followed thanks to the sharp, subtle hand of Armfield, a skilled theatre director. The final option should only be viewed after having seen the film. “Writing on the Wall: Candy’s Poem in Motion” highlights one of the most significant moments in the film. Sadly, it also takes away from its poignancy.

CANDY is no easy pill to swallow, but well worth the risk of rotten teeth.

Movie rating – 4

Disc Rating – 3