Paul Schrader pours on the strict Catholic beliefs and teachings in the opening scenes, Contrasts them with the porn, snuff film stuff as movie goes on. As George C Scott, sacrifices his core beliefs to save his daughter. George C Scott is the MVP here, and commands our attention, as the search for his daughter takes darker and more outrageous turns.

Hardcore is a seedy movie at the tail-end of a seedy decade. Jake Van Dorn (George C. Scott) is a fish-out-of-water as he patrols the Hollyweird streets, strip clubs, and sex shops in search of his daughter (Ilah Davis), who took a bus from Grand Rapids, Michigan to L.A. on a Calvinist mission and never came back. The contrast between snow-white Grand Rapids at Christmas time and neon-bright Los Angeles couldn’t be starker. Andy (Peter Boyle), an L.A.-centered P.I. Jake hires to find his daughter, pulls the absolutely jaw-dropping, insane maneuver of playing for Jake, in a private screening, the pornographic “reel” in which his daughter is spit-roasted in a “Devil’s Three Way,” without warning — if there ever is a situation that demands a “Trigger Warning,” this is it. Through Jake’s eyes, we learn what happened to Kristen (Davis), even if we can’t trust the string of unreliable witnesses. I learned about Hardcore from reading Tarantino’s Cinema Speculation and have determined that he was too hard on the film. Yes, Jake should’ve just gone home when it was likely that Kristen wasn’t drugged or kidnapped, but wanted a different life than what she foresaw in Grand Rapids. That being said, he’s a father, a Dutch Reform deacon, and played by the best actor I could imagine for this story. It is ludicrous that he and Andy would be able to locate Kristen, not just searching in L.A. but San Diego as well. The score for when Jake is patrolling the streets is sit-up-in-your-seat good. The logical nadir of his journey (before finding his daughter, of course) lands him in a grimy, secluded theater where a snuff film is shown to an eclectic group of men, all silent. The ending, with the wild P.I. gunshot across a busy avenue and Kristen’s decision to return with her father, isn’t the best, but the final moment with Niki (Season Hubley), a kind sex worker who aids Jake in the cities’ viscous underbellies, adds a much-needed poignant conclusion to the film. “You don’t belong here,” Andy says to Jake when the search seems fruitless. Maybe none of us do, but it’s a fun, heartrending ride behind the fourth wall.

I would say it is quite a sad story about the strained relationship of a parent and child. George C. Scott's performance is pretty good in this movie. The ending had that brief moment when I was almost fooled it would take a flying leap off the cliff of sadness, but made a last moment about-face. In addition, how did this movie get away with the "R" rating in the United States, but the "X" rating in England? The film was released in 1979 when the ratings boards were more prudish than today, and with the unmistakenly sexual nature of the content shown on screen, I was surprised it didn't have an "adults only" neon sign plastered all over the marketing posters.

Soberly shot with a solid screenplay handling moral issues without being didactic. Strong performances. Perhaps feels a touch dated but still immersive.

Featuring an iconic tagline, Hardcore illustrates the collision of two contrasting worlds and their surprising commonalities, and the lengths a parent will go to protect their child's perceived innocence.

The truth at times may be too hardcore or terrible to understand given unwavering religious faith we follow Based on an actual true story The late George C. Scott plays Jake Van Dorn, a Midwestern businessman Jake's just finished having a Christmas celebration with his family in 1977 Then his teenage daughter Kristen goes on a church trip called the Youth Calvinist Convention to California But Jake is shocked to learn she doesn't return Worried he sets out to find her hiring an LA investigator Andy Mast The police don't help him and Jake even asks a prostitute to track her down Director Paul Schrader tells a story of a father desperate to find his child Yet it's horrifying discovering the underbelly of a world most of us are not ready for It's quite saddening knowing how much this father finds out Keep in mind much of this is an investigative narrative I was also pretty stricken given the explanation for why the daughter disappeared in the first place The resolution at the end will be very split down the middle for most but Scott is incredible in this acting as someone in a time period descent into depravity and exploitation

For me it's the directors best movie, really really good for late 70's

Its only goal is to shock, it fails.

I do believe pornography is warping minds. This is a very lurid look at the adult film world. This is not for kids

i thought this would be dumb, but i was wrong to doubt George C Scott!!

What makes this movie watchable is Scott's single-minded goal to find his daughter. Otherwise, skip it.

Strong - not for everyone. George C. Scott (in a Hawaiian shirt) goes deep into the Hollywood underbelly. The ending was a fitting surprise...!!

To adequately appreciate Hardcore, viewers must buy into George C. Scott's depiction of a tormented, Calvinist father reckoning with the reality of his Midwestern daughter's shocking involvement in the California pornographic entertainment industry. Scott's distinctive appearance and demeanor have always infused his performances with a quality few contemporary actors could rival, and it's fair to say they match perfectly with Paul Schrader's vision and script. However, in the late 70s it would have been difficult to foresee the degree to which porn has seeped into mainstream culture. Consequently, the impact of Scott's tortured histrionics may be softened with modern audiences. And while Season Hubley's portrayal of an unexpectedly complex sex worker for the most part rings true, the sloppy, rushed, and completely unfulfilling climax fails to provide a satisfying payoff to Schrader's authentically layered character studies.

Felt too stagey, dated and self-aware for me to get onboard. My favorite part of this by far is that it was likely a precursor to 8mm.

A shocking controversial film with a powerful performance by George C.Scott and great written and directed by the creator of taxi driver.

I watched this movie when came out in 1979. Someting came to mind and I just finished watching it again. The acting was very good including the whole cast. I noticed several short clips that other movies stole from it. The director was faifly good, but the writer missed the chance of making it into a great movie, possibly a classic. I am referring to the hooker "Niki" played by Season Hubley. Hubley's acting was as good and possibly better than the rest of the cast. "Niki's" role was difficult, going from a cheap $0.25 peep show girl/hooker to an optimistic helper for Scott finding his daughter, then at the end a very intelligent young lady wanting Scott's help. Where did the movie imo make the mistake? When "Niki" was on the sidewalk waiting for Scott, Scott walked over to her and offered Niki money. Niki w3alked quickly aw3ay7 from Scott as any decent young lady would do. the misstake was in Scott's character not inviting her to his home. With all of Scott's holier than thou character, then not inviting her to his home, he displayed such an un Christian character that even if he were one of the elected, his name would be erased from The Book of Life, if that would be possible. Certainly Paul Schrader shoud be ashamed.

Hardcore is an film- good old film and deam off that song in the end wake me up. Four stars.

Great cast and a compelling story. Even with its storyline flaws its still a must see.

Very seventies, very plodding drama, pitching stolid George C. Scott, a Calvinist businessman headfirst into the seedy West Coast world of porn movies when his teenage daughter goes missing. It's all very obvious and depressing, and takes forever to climax (ha!).

Schrader's film is the embodiment of the long standing argument of conservatism. The issue of what's sexual obscenity or sexual expressionism. C. Scott plays a formidable role incredibly well, he's got fantastic emotional range that takes his character to the brink and back. The soundtrack is eerie and formidable, almost feeling out of place to keep as an analogy for the characters themselves. The films structure and pacing is just a tad off, the first act is bloated and unfortunately makes the second act start too late and the last act scramble for both an ending and a strong climax.