Candy (2006)

Director:

Neil Armfield

Writers:

Luke Davies (novel) and
Neil Armfield (writer)

Release Date:

25 May 2006 (Australia)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

More is never enough.

Plot:

A poet falls in love with an art student who gravitates to his bohemian lifestyle -- and his love of heroin. Hooked as much on one another as they are on the drug, their relationship alternates between states of oblivion, self-destruction, and despair.

Plot Keywords:

Heroin | Drug | Art Student | Call Girl | Money

Awards:

4 wins & 16 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Abbie Cornish	...	Candy
Heath Ledger	...	Dan
Geoffrey Rush	...	Casper
Tom Budge	...	Schumann
Roberto Meza-Mont	...	Jorge (as Roberto Meza Mont)
Tony Martin	...	Jim Wyatt
Noni Hazlehurst	...	Elaine Wyatt
Holly Austin	...	Sunglasses Shop Assistant
Craig Moraghan	...	Washing Machine Dealer
John Lee	...	Hock Shop Man
Noel Herriman	...	Celebrant
Tim McKenzie	...	Uncle Rod
Tara Morice	...	Aunt Katherine
Maddi Newling	...	Janey
Patricia Lemon	...	Wedding Guest

MPAA:

Rated R for pervasive depiction of drug addiction, disturbing images, language, sexual content and nudity.

Runtime:

Australia:116 min | UK:108 min | USA:108 min | Hong Kong:108 min | UK:108 min (uncut)

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:MA (re-rating) | New Zealand:R18 | USA:R | Hong Kong:IIB | UK:15 | Italy:VM14 | Netherlands:16 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:M18 | Finland:K-15 | Germany:16 | Japan:R-15 | South Korea:18 | Ireland:18 | Norway:15 (TV rating) | Australia:R

Filming Locations:

Australia

Company:

Film Finance

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The copyright statement "Ownership of this motion picture is protected by copyright and other applicable laws, and any unauthorized duplication, distribution or exhibition of this motion picture could result in criminal prosecution as well as civil liability" appears to times back-to-back at the end of the end credits.

Quotes:

Casper: [to Dan] Promise me you'll stop. Promise me you'll stop before I do.

Movie Connections:

References "Sesame Street" (1969)

Soundtrack:

White Rabbit's Funeral

Accurate, intimate and very watchable

You could write this off as another story about addiction and the destruction resulting from it, but there's more here. The love story between Ledger and Cornish is a constant throughout, with a great line on how their addiction affects not only their own relationship, but their relationships with others: parents, friends, acquaintances.

Abby Cornish is especially good as the art girl turned junkie prostitute; her fall into addiction and the changes it makes in her life are much more effective than Ledger's portrayal of a junkie in love.

The parents in the movie are excellent, from subtle facial expressions to drag-out fights with their dope fiend daughter. They act much as you would expect parents to act, or at least hope they would act.

The ending dropped the ball a little, but maybe they ran out of budget. In any case, I would watch it again. It's realistic, gritty, romantic and a good case study of how drugs can ruin the most intense love.