Candy (2006) β A love story steeped in addiction
Director: Neil Armfield
Writer: Neil Armfield & Luke Davies (based on the novel Candy: A Novel of Love and Addiction)
Starring: Heath Ledger, Abbie Cornish, Geoffrey Rush
Genre: Romance/addiction/tragedy
Duration: 108 minutes
Country: Australia
Language: English
π Plot Summary
Candy tells the haunting story of Dan (Heath Ledger), a young poet, and Candy (Abbie Cornish), an art student, who fall madly and recklessly in love. What begins as a passionate romance quickly spirals into a toxic cycle of heroin addiction, emotional devastation, and dependency.
As their relationship unfolds across three actsβHeaven, Earth, and Hellβthe couple must contend with poverty, pain, and personal ruin, all while clinging to a love that is both devastating and passionate.
π Cast & Performance
Heath Ledger gives a raw, emotionally stripped-down performance as Dan. His role is both dangerous and unsettling, capturing the highs and lows of drug addiction with authenticity.
Abbie Cornish is terrific as Candyβhot, fragile, and heartbreaking. Her descent from innocent idealist to broken soul is one of the filmβs most powerful emotional arcs.
Geoffrey Rush plays Casper, an eccentric older addict who is both a comic relief and a cautionary tale in Dan and Candyβs lives.
π₯ Themes
Addiction as a Third Person: The film treats heroin not only as a plot device but also as a dark presence in a relationship.
Love and Self-Destruction: The film explores how love can be both redemptive and destructive when coupled with a shared addiction.
Art and Suffering: Both protagonists are artists, but their creativity is ultimately destroyed by the destructive power of dependency.
Loss of Innocence: The characters’ journeys are marked by the decline of hope and the erosion of dreams.
ποΈ Direction and Visual Style
Neil Armfield directs intimately, often hand-held, emphasizing intimacy and authenticity. The color palette shifts as the story progressesβfrom warm and inviting in “Paradise” to bleak and draining in “Hell.”
The film eschews glamorizing drug use, opting instead for a stark and sometimes disturbing depiction of addiction. The contrast between beauty and decay is a central visual theme.
π Critics’ Ratings
Rotten Tomatoes: 47% (critics), ~75% (audiences)
Metacritic: 57/100
Awards:
Nominated for 13 Australian Film Institute Awards
Heath Ledger and Abbie Cornish both received critical acclaim for their performances
Despite being divisive among critics, Candy is widely admired for her uncompromising performance and emotional honesty.
