Hardcore

Written and directed by Paul Schrader, Hardcore follows buttoned-down businessman Jake VanDorn (George C. Scott) as he reluctantly ventures into California’s seedy underworld of pornography after his teenage daughter goes missing. Filmmaker Schrader does a superb job of initially establishing Jake’s relatively normal existence and his day-to-day business dealings, with these scenes certainly standing in sharp contrast to the character’s progressively perilous exploits within the porn industry. (It’s clear, too, that Hardcore benefits from a proliferation of overtly engrossing sequences, including a seriously captivating interlude wherein Jake is presented with visual proof of what his daughter’s been up to.) The deliberateness of the picture’s pace, which admittedly does result in a handful of less-than-engrossing stretches, certainly ensures that Scott’s character becomes more and more sympathetic as time progresses, with the compelling vibe undoubtedly enhanced and heightened by Scott’s often mesmerizing turn as the determined central character. (The lengths Jake eventually goes to track down his daughter, including posing as a sleazy porn producer, is certainly nothing short of riveting.) By the time the electrifying (and surprisingly violent) climax rolls around, Hardcore has certainly confirmed its place as a compelling and often shocking drama that also succeeds as a time capsule of a very specific time and place.

***1/2 out of ****