Opening 21 Sep 2006
Directed by:
Neil Armfield
Writing credits:
Neil Armfield, Luke Davies
Principal actors:
Abbie Cornish, Heath Ledger
The world of a junkie under microscope is the story of Candy from Australian director Neil Armfield. His screenplay adaptation from Luke Davies’ novel of the same name takes the life of heroin drug addicts and opens our emotions to their mixed up world. The exhilaration of their undying love insulated Dan (Heath Ledger) and Candy (Abbie Cornish) into a cocoon that would never allow them to mature. Dan was a lover of literature and a natural poet. Candy was an artist who longed to see her paintings loved by the world. Dan fondly recalls the first time he met Candy: “Everything was like juice.” Dan was a “lost boy” with no adult role models in his life except a sugar daddy friend, Casper (Geoffrey Rush). He was also a functional heroin addict. However, he was always looking for purpose and along came Candy. He purposed to stay with her forever. Candy, on the other hand, came from a stable environment. Her parents invested their whole lives in loving her and her world, but never imagined it would encompass drug addiction. Candy wanted a life with Dan but unfortunately, his world was controlled by heroin, which eventually became her fate. This world offered no perspective for life, not to mention a hopeful future for their marriage or a family. Candy herself never dreamed her functional addiction would turn her into a junky and would take away her dignity and the love of her life.
Armfield’s journal-style narrative makes a vivid connection to the junkie’s world and leaves a remarkable impact that grips your heart and pains your gut. (Karen Pecota)
