Hardcore (1979)

Paul Schrader's neo-noir drama has similarities to Taxi Driver (1976) which he also penned, and also deals with themes of child prostitution. George C. Scott puts in a wonderfully understated performance as Jake, a Father whose daughter goes missing during a church trip to California. After months of searching to no avail, a contact of Jake's shows him an 8mm stag film that shows his daughter Kristen with two young men.

Seemingly entering an unwinnable quest to track his daughter down amongst the seedy underbelly of California, Jake encounters many characters en-route, realising the underbelly isn't quite as underground as one might have thought.

He wanders through various sex shops and brothels looking for information, eventually posing as a filmmaker in the hope of ensnaring the boys in the film with Kristen.

Hardcore is another Schrader film about a lone protagonist, willing to do what's needed to hold onto their beliefs; Hardcore is especially fascinating because Jake is repulsed by the scene he uncovers, but the film itself isn't necessarily so.

Schrader doesn't flinch from providing the audience with the reality of the porn industry, neither does he judge it like Jake, understandable with his church going upbringing.

Even Hardcore's finale suggests something more sinister going on in the minds of the characters; it's not as clear cut as some may read it, a decipherment that falls in line with the beliefs and morals of the films' characters.

It's one of Schraders finest pieces of work, and there's plenty of them to choose from. 7.9/10