STEALING CANDY

US, 2002, 83 minutes, Colour.
Daniel Baldwin, Coolio, Alex Mc Arthur, Jenya Lano.
Directed by Mark L. Lester.

Stealing Candy is a straight-to-DVD thriller. It is a curiosity item because it was directed and co-written by Mark L. Lester, a director of many exploitation films who also made The Class of 1984 as well as Commando with Arnold Schwarzenegger and an adaptation of the Stephen King story, Firestarter.

This film is a four-hander, a group abducts a Hollywood movie star – with the kinky premise that they are going to force her to perform sex on pay-for-view website. Daniel Baldwin is the computer expert, rap singer Coolio is violent-prone and Alex Mc Arthur plays the mastermind. Jenya Lano is the actress.

1. Popular pulp fiction thriller? The touch of soft-core pornography? The audience appeal? Cinemas? Video?

2. The California settings, the film locations, the mansion, the house in the countryside, the open road? Authentic atmosphere? Musical score? Atmosphere?

3. The title, the overtones of sweets? The actress's name? Making money out of her? The irony of the plot twists and it being her idea?

4. The opening, the potboiling plot, the wealthy wife, the bodyguard, the massage, sexual advances, the shootings - and it being a film? Candy on the set? Working with the director? Her prim attitudes, prudery, her contract? Her wanting to be alone, reading the script? Her devotion to her father?

5. Fred and his following Candy, videotaping her? His meeting up with the team? Brad and the long friendship, jail? Walt and his ingenuity with computers? The scam, the kidnap, the advertising the program, performing live on television, making millions, channelling the money to the Cayman Islands?

6. The execution of the plot, the kidnap, on the road, being held up by the police? Brad being trigger-happy? Walt and the background of his separation, his jail term for fraud, his son needing the operation, his motivation for the money? The arrival, the set-up, Brad shooting the man by the river? The element of violence, his wanting to attack Candy? Fred and his being in charge?

7. The personalities of the kidnappers: Fred, his idea, in charge, dominating Brad, friendship with Walt? His orchestrating the performance? Brad, trigger-happy, black, suspicious of white people, the shooting? His attraction towards Candy? Using the camera? Walt, his fears, not wanting violence, going in to Candy and explaining the situation to her?

8. The set-up, the advertising on the internet, her complying? The news reports? The collage of audience? The millions paid for the performance? The performance itself - the soft-core presentation of hard-core?

9. The aftermath, Fred being in control, the relationship with Candy, the revelation that she was in on the scam? The outbreak of violence, Candy and her escape, the pursuit by Brad, her attacking him, finally his being shot by Fred? Fred being knocked out, reviving, his wanting to help Candy - but her having rung the police, her pretending he was an attacker, his being shot? Brad shooting Walt?

10. The police arriving, comforting Candy, her pretence? The aftermath with the television interview, her appearing so dignified, not wanting a film contract about her experiences, paying for Walt's son's operation? The irony of her looking at the computer and seeing the money in the Cayman Islands?

11. Crime scam thriller, no honour amongst thieves, violence and death, the amoral tone, especially in Candy's success?