Candy

Critics Consensus

Stars Heath Ledger and Abbie Cornish look better than they should as heroin addicts, and their characters are too absorbed and self-pitying to be totally compelling.

47%

TOMATOMETER

Total Count: 74

77%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 25,376
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Movie Info

A free-spirited art student and a roguish poet find their addiction to each other taking a back seat to their taste for heroin in director Neil Armfield's intensely personal tale of recreational drug use gone bad. When Candy (Abbie Cornish) and Dan (Heath Ledger) first fell in love, they both thought they had found all they ever needed in life. Despite financial hardships, the pair sustained themselves on the vibrant life force that burned blindingly bright as it promised an invincible future. Their intoxicating romance a blissful altered state of which heroin played only a minor role in the beginning, Candy and Dan soon decide to strengthen their bond by marrying and starting a family. Their manufactured Eden gradually becomes an uncontrollable inferno, however, as Candy's parents slowly pull away due to the pain of witnessing their daughter's slow slide into oblivion, and even chemistry professor Casper (Geoffrey Rush), who was at first complicit in their experimentation, admits that Candy and Dan's blind devotion to the drug is now forever ingrained into their commitment to one and other. As the marriage deteriorates right along with Candy's increasingly fragile mental state, Dan must make the difficult decision to either rescue her or pull away in hopes that the clarity of separation will finally empower her to break free of the addiction that binds her. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
  • Rating:
    R (for pervasive depiction of drug addiction, disturbing images, language, sexual content and nudity)
  • Genre:
    Drama, Romance
  • Directed By:
    Neil Armfield
  • Written By:
    Neil Armfield, Luke Davies
  • In Theaters:
     wide
  • On Disc/Streaming:
  • Runtime:
  • Studio:
    ThinkFilm

Cast

Heath Ledger
as Dan
Abbie Cornish
as Candy
Geoffrey Rush
as Casper
Tony Martin
as Mr. Wyatt
Noni Hazlehurst
as Elaine Wyatt
Noni Hazelhurst
as Mrs. Wyatt
John Lee
as Hock Shop Man
Tim McKenzie (II)
as Uncle Rod
Tara Morice
as Aunt Katherine
Felino Dolloso
as Waiter
Cristian Castillo
as Little Angelo
Jason Chan (II)
as Dan's Doctor
Luke Davies
as Milkman
Damon Herriman
as Roger Moylan
Sandy Winton
as Candy's Doctor
Tom Budge
as Schumann
Patricia Lemon
as Wedding Guest
Barry Jaggers
as Wedding Guest
Paul Blackwell
as Phillip Dudley
Nathaniel Dean
as Paul Hillman
Adrienne Pickering
as Teller
John McNeill
as Pharmacist
Doreen Mullen
as Woman in Pharmacy
Rebecca Watt
as Nurse
Sean O'Riordan
as Man in Toilets
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Critic Reviews for Candy

All Critics (74) | Top Critics (29) | Fresh (35) | Rotten (39)

  • Davies has no new insights into the heroin spiral, but this silly melodrama benefits from the palpable chemistry between Ledger and Cornish

    May 15, 2009 | Rating: C | Full Review…

    Amy Nicholson

    I.E. Weekly
    Top Critic

  • Undeniably affecting.

    Jan 12, 2007 | Rating: 3/4

    Terry Lawson

    Detroit Free Press
    Top Critic

  • There's no moment that truly feels original until Candy's climactic breakdown at the end of the movie. By then, it's too late.

    Dec 30, 2006 | Rating: 3/5

    Kerry Lengel

    Arizona Republic
    Top Critic

  • For all its depiction of a descent into drug addiction, Candy is filled with surprisingly sweet moments and goes down more easily than seems possible given the subject matter.

    Dec 15, 2006 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…

    Ruthe Stein

    San Francisco Chronicle
    Top Critic

  • There's a formula here, and it's not the liquid being shot into popping veins.

    Dec 1, 2006 | Rating: 2.5/4

    Steven Rea

    Philadelphia Inquirer
    Top Critic

  • ...Because we never had a strong handle on who all these people were at the beginning, it's difficult to care about whether they're capable of redemption in the end.

    Dec 1, 2006

    Christy Lemire

    Associated Press
    Top Critic
View All Critic Reviews (74)

Audience Reviews for Candy

  • Oct 09, 2013
    Aside from the Dark Knight, Hard Candy is one of Heath Ledger's strongest performances. This is an eccentric picture that tells an engaging story about addiction. Brilliantly acted and directed, Hard Candy is a fine picture that showcases Ledger's talents perfectly. The story is well constructed and it is a film that is hard to forget. With effective performances, this is a must see for any film lover who enjoys a powerful film that delivers an entertaining drama. The direction is very well done, and overall I really enjoyed the film despite the fact that in some areas, the film could have been better. However, Ledger's performance keeps things together and like I said, he does some terrific work here. I really thought that this was one of his best performances right up until his final role as the Joker. This is a raw, gritty in your face portrayal of addiction, and it shows us the costs of using. This is a film that is hard to get into due to its subject, but it is nonetheless a roller coaster ride into madness that you won't forget. In terms of a drama, Candy is one of those films that doesn't shy away from its subject that it displays on-screen. The cast keep you involved and it is a film well worth seeing. I thought the film was well made, but it is not a film that warrants multiple viewings, and it will stick with you for a while long after you've seen it. Candy has its imperfections, but its strengths lie within its subject matter and its raw, intense delivery of its performances from the cast.
    Alex r Super Reviewer
  • Apr 07, 2011
    Unimpressive in every single way.
    Eduardo C Super Reviewer
  • Jul 17, 2010
    17/07/2010 (TELEVISION) A pretty emotional flick. This film took me downhill with them and I couldn't stand the hopelessness. It's a terrific drama and I love these ones that are able to extract your feelings. I felt this was also educational in a way because now I'm aware of the impact that drugs can have.
    EightThirty . Super Reviewer
  • Nov 28, 2009
    The story is dragging but filled with some sort of poetry: being young and having nothing but time and something that some would call love... but is it really? Add the drug addiction and you'll get the picture. The spirit is wandering in a sweet laziness, close to the artistic inspiration, yet the muses are staying away, probably driven by small, everyday problems, like finding money and drugs.
    Alice S Super Reviewer
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