Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
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.
Candy is anchored by powerhouse performances from Heath Ledger and Abbie Cornish, who bring raw, lived-in authenticity to their roles as lovers spiraling into heroin addiction. The film charts familiar addiction-drama territory — initial euphoria, denial, degradation, and attempted recovery — with competence but little structural invention, keeping Novelty modest. Cinematography is serviceable and naturalistic without being particularly distinctive. The three-act structure (Heaven, Earth, Hell) gives the narrative a clear shape, and the ending carries emotional weight without being fully redemptive, feeling honest if somewhat expected for the genre.