Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Abbie Cornish | ... | Candy | |
Heath Ledger | ... | Dan | |
Geoffrey Rush | ... | Casper | |
Tom Budge | ... | Schumann | |
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Roberto Meza Mont | ... | Jorge |
Tony Martin | ... | Mr. Wyatt | |
Noni Hazlehurst | ... | Mrs. Wyatt | |
Holly Austin | ... | Sunglasses Shop Assistant | |
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Craig Moraghan | ... | Washing Machine Dealer |
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John Lee | ... | Hock Shop Man |
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Noel Herriman | ... | Celebrant |
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Tim McKenzie | ... | Uncle Rod |
Tara Morice | ... | Aunt Katherine | |
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Maddi Newling | ... | Janey |
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Patricia Lemon | ... | Wedding Guest |
This story is a narration from an Australian man who falls in love with two kinds of Candy: a woman of the same name and heroin. The narrator changes from a smart-aleck to someone trying to find a vein to inject, while Candy changes from an actress, call girl, streetwalker, and then a madwoman. Starting in Sydney, the two eventually end up in Melbourne to go clean, but they fail. This leads them to turn to finding money and heroin, while other posessions and attachments become unimportant. Written by Godiva4862
You could write this off as another story about addiction and the destruction resulting from it, but there's more here. The love story between Ledger and Cornish is a constant throughout, with a great line on how their addiction affects not only their own relationship, but their relationships with others: parents, friends, acquaintances.
Abby Cornish is especially good as the art girl turned junkie prostitute; her fall into addiction and the changes it makes in her life are much more effective than Ledger's portrayal of a junkie in love.
The parents in the movie are excellent, from subtle facial expressions to drag-out fights with their dope fiend daughter. They act much as you would expect parents to act, or at least hope they would act.
The ending dropped the ball a little, but maybe they ran out of budget. In any case, I would watch it again. It's realistic, gritty, romantic and a good case study of how drugs can ruin the most intense love.