One of Heath Ledger's Most Brilliant Performances

(Ledger and Cornish in romantic scene from "Candy")

I watched the movie "Candy" because the description on back of the DVD made me think it might have something significant to say about how poets manage to cultivate their creative gifts in the face of the world's harsh and often unforgiving realities. It was actually more about fueling delusions of escape from those realities through drug addiction and placing more burdens on love than it can sometimes bear.

At the center of this brilliantly artful and emotionally powerful drama are the young hopeful artist named Candy and the would-be poet Dan. Both are emotionally damaged individuals who lead each other through a nightmare maze of drug addiction into a junkie's hell of destitution, prostitution, theft, and death.

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(poster for the film CANDY)

The film, based on Luke Davies' novel, does raise some important questions about how much we can or should expect from an individual's capacity for love. The subject is one more and more artists seem to be examining these days. Creative acts of poetry--such as actually writing, performing spoken word, being inspired, etc.--do not make up the core of this extraordinary film. BUT: the soul-numbing angst suffered by the principle characters does build to one dynamic slam of a poem that makes real artistic and spiritual sense out of Candy's and Dan's horrible personal ordeal.

Actress Abbie Cornish absolutely astounds in her portrayal of the title character. The exceptionally gifted Heath Ledger provides yet another off-the-chain performance that demonstrates why he's destined to eventually win the Academy Award that eluded him for "Brokeback Mountain." Other ensemble members, including the phenomenal Oscar-winning Geoffrey Rush, Noni Hazlehurst, and Tony Martin, are never anything less than perfect in their supporting roles.

by Aberjhani