Directed By: Jason Reitman
Written By: Diablo Cody
Cinematography: Eric Steelberg
Editor: Dana E. Glauberman
Costume Design: Monique Prudhomme
Casting: Kara Lipson & Mindy Marin
Production Design: Steve Saklad
Art Direction: Michael Diner & Catherine Schroer
Cast: Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Olivia Thirlby, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, J.K. Simmons, Alison Janney, Rainn Wilson, Daniel Clark, Emily Perkins, Steven Christopher Parker,
If i could use one word to describe this film to me heartwarming at first it looks to be a off center independent film.which it is and also well written terrifically Acted and has the best soundtrack of the year. (I know because i bought it immediatey after even though i already have half the songs)
The characters start off as cliche then they seem to morph into real characters. who challenge what you initally thought of them. who stay with you and who you wish you knew or had in your life in reality. the only thing that felt false a little was the wisecracking store clerk. but in this movies world it still worked.
There has been some backlash about the dialogue and it's coded like dialect but doesn't eery new youth grup seem to popularize there own slang.
I feel this moie is more of a pure indie experience even though it has a universal story and characters and mainstream appeal it has it's own sense of stlye and independece that makes young girls who see this find a role model and a new generation of boys find a girl type to have crushes on sure it has some places where the character can be annoying or spoiled but that is how some teenagers are.
Ellen page continues with her amazing sense of good scripts and equal performances. If you haven't seen hard candy check it out now. she is excellent in the title role a role model for a new generation of girls. olivia thirlby is just so cute and pitch perfect in her role as the best friend. this film effected me i didn't think much at first other then it was pretty goood movie but the more i thought about the film it kind of haunted me and made me realize how much it had gotten to me i guess i just had a delayed reaction.
Now i can see why some critics have criticized the film for it's language and stylized dialogue. I don't care at first it is annoying but once you get used to it and it finds it's groove it doesn't come off as pretentious as it does taken out of context. Neither does the film. Like i said before the more you get involved in the film and it goes along you see for all the fuss it tries to be cool and a outsider. In it's heart it is heartwarming and old fashioned just like the main character.
Diablo cody is one to keep your eye on i have praised her before and i am praising her again. She also has a regular column in entertainment weekly magazine that just began. she is one to watch and i suspect she infused some of herself into this character. she seems to be the odd pop culture obsessed outcast. she is a female geek add her and tina fey together and you get two women who should control hollywood
I just can't say enough about this film.
GRADE: A
Directed By: Tommy O’Haver