Recent Reviews for Harsh Times
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MCT:July 24, 2008This movie was very hard to watch... first because they're cursing from beginning till end and second because it's really disturbing... but the main actors performance is terrific!
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MCT:July 22, 2008One of the best crime movies I've ever seen. I still can't believe he died at the end. Christian Bale is a great actor. Great movie.
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MCT:June 28, 2008I really like this movie. I understand that it is not perfect and has its flaws but Christian Bale is simply the best and not many can deny that right at this moment. His character is played sublime by him and is so believable. The emotions on his face, that guy puts a 110% into his work whatever the roll is.
A lot have discussed the accent and the way Bale plays the character in the movie but to me that's just nit picking and silly. Freddy Rodriguez was alright in this but to me the movie was all about Bale's gifted talent at acting and he makes the movie so good and watchable.
There were parts were i really felt emotionally involved and feeling for his character or with him and that to me is powerful. To conclude, this is definitely on the similar line of Training Day but it's a total different story and people should not compare it or nit pick over the smallest issues. Great flick. Powerful ending as well. -
MCT:June 27, 2008
Christian Bale is great as always in this movie.Its a realistic film with a good storyline.But I felt there sould have been more action violence.
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MCT:June 23, 2008To be completely honest...the only thing that really drew me towards this movie is the premise that Christian Bale would be starring in it. And, when it started...it was unlike any character I've ever seen him play.
The story is about Jim Davis {Bale] who used to be an Army Ranger and was recently discharged. He's looking for work, gets turned down by the one occupation that he requires in order to marry his Mexican girlfriend and bring her into America.
However, he still has these recurring nightmares from his job as a Ranger...and these seem to keep him up at night at times. And, the only person who can understand him is his best friend Mike [Freddy Rodriguez].
To kill the time before he finds out about the LAPD position, they chill by getting drunk, smoking weed, seeing their buddies and just hanging out. Yet, Mike is finally thinking he may actually need to get a job as his girlfriend, Sylvia [Eva Longoria] keeps pushing him to. She finally gives him an ultimatum...and he does something really stupid just in order to hang out with his best friend.
Finally, Jim finds out that the LAPD reject his application...and becomes furious and from that is just a barrel into some reactions that most people usually wouldn't have. As Mike ignores his girlfriend's pleas, the both end up cruising along the streets of South Central Los Angeles...getting involved in petty crime, theft, drugs and eventually violence...as they did when they were young.
At first, I was surprised when I heard Spanish in the beginning of this movie...having no idea what it was about...and then seeing Jim go back to America and talk like some gangsta...and then again, when addressing authorties...putting on this completely different demeanour.
It seemed a little slow at first, just two guys having fun...ignoring their responsibilities...and being totally reckless until there's a key point in the film that has Jim acting out in ways he can't even control and it comes down to Mike to pacify things a little bit...however your best friend can't always help you out.
It's certainly different, the immense development of Jim's character is amazing to see and Rodriguez does a pretty fine job playing Mike. It's interesting to see the two of them get along and interact...see what they're going to do next. -
MCT:June 23, 2008
After watching it for the second time i enjoyed it more. Christian Bale gives yet another incredible performances. The films only minor downfall is its pacing and that it is quite similar to Training Day.
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MCT:June 5, 2008
A touching and gripping story set in L.A. about hardship and the main character's deterioration into insanity. Bale and Rodriguez were excellent.
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MCT:June 2, 2008
Some think its slow and boring. I loved it. I thought the drama was amazing. You see Bale's character diminish right before your eyes.
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MCT:May 23, 2008Note: Even Christian Bale can't save it from what it really is: a pseudo-edgy mess that is neither a psychological thiller nor a urban drama.
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MCT:April 30, 2008
i was really expecting so much more with this film...the posters,title and whole look gives u a certain feeling about how its gonna go....but its very dissapointing and dull.there are some nice scenes but it needs so much more.
bale is good as the ex army boy wanting to join the cops and shows the torment of waiting for that position well.....kinda depressing actually hehe
bale is better than the movie and the movie is average....but it could of been really cool. -
MCT:April 27, 2008
I liked Training Day
I liked Harsh Times
and Damn! Im going to see the Street Kings too...David Ayer is doing great job at getho movies... -
MCT:April 21, 2008Like everyone else who saw this I was expexting a horrible version of Training Day, and in a matter of speaking... It kind of is. They both do the whole "A day in the life of a gangster pretending to live the straight and narrow." The only thing that I truly do like more about Harsh Times then Training Day, is Christian Bale, who (once again) proves why he is one of the best actors out of there. I mean most of the roles I've seen him he does an amazing job how ever this is a huge show of his acting ability. He does an amazing job. The whole time I was in complete and utter awe that it was actually him. I almost want to go back and watch it again just to make sure, but I have better things to do. Like watch Fight Cclub again or something... Anyway Freddy Rodriguez also does a good job. Too bad it goes unnoticed when put next to Christian Bale. The story isn't the greatest. Bale and Rodriguez fall back into old habits while trying to change their lives for the better. Predictable pretty much the whole way through. In all honesty you'd do better just to watch Training Day and pretend that Denzel Washington was Christian Bale. Not that I ever do that or anything.... But yeah if your a fan of Bale like me or you want to see what Training Day would have been like if it hadn't been very good check it!!
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MCT:April 16, 2008
Amazing movie, very well written, acted, and directed. Christian Bale playsan ex-Army Ranger recently discharged from the military. He's in love with a woman who lives in Mexico, and has to get a job at the LAPD in order for her to be able to come to America. Bale's best friend is played by Freddy Rodriguez, and Bale brings out Rodriguez' bad side. They spend a few days drinking, smoking, stealing, and doing crimes...all which lead to a truly shocking and tragic climax. Eva Longoria Parker plays Rodriguez' long time girlfriend, who only wants him to get a good job and to clean up his life. Along the way the duo meet up with a friend, Chaka Forman. J.K. Simmons and Michael Monks play feds that Bale trys to get a job with, and David Ayer's regulars Smantha Esteban, Terry Crews, and Noel Gugliemi all have key parts. Esteban as Bale's past lover, Crews as one of the duo's long time friends, and Noel Gugliemi, who has one of the most important roles, as the latino gangster that they humiliated early on in the film. The gritty feel of the film, the lighting,editing, and music all add to the ghetto feel the film has. It is a very unique film, where Christian Bale is not only the main protagonist, but also the lead antagonist in a sense.
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MCT:April 15, 2008
It's a harsh, gritty and exhilerating urban crime drama. It's like an adreniline rush on acid. Christian Bale is electrifying. He sets the screen on fire in every scene he's in. Freddy Rodriguez is riveting. Eva Longoria gives an impressivelly tough performance. The work by the actors is probaly better yhan what the film deserves. Director, David Ayer has an impressive style but is still ineed of a plot. A decent film but not great, mainly because there is no plot really and it's just about these two characters going out and getting into trouble. A rougher and tougher Training day but also a very blank flick.
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MCT:April 13, 2008''You're crazy and you're dangerous and my biggest nightmare is you with a fucking badge!''
A tough-minded drama about two friends in South Central Los Angeles and the violence that comes between them.
Christian Bale: Jim Luther Davis
Freddy Rodríguez: Mike Alonzo
Eva Longoria Parker: Sylvia
Driving round, smoking, drinking. Quality man!
Bale is outstanding, war-affected ex-soldier character he portrays is scarred yet oddly funny in a perverse sense. Loved it man, makes you think.
Eva Longoria shines, a rising actress and model and Freddy Rodriguez too does a splendid job, they both support fireball Bale well.
Soundtrack on this is so good, i want to go and own it. This is like Training Day or 8 mile. It's got a level of seriousness that gleams in all it's gritty realism.
A must own and a must see!''I'm a soldier of the apocalypse, man!'' -
MCT:March 29, 2008
good acting. too much "dog", "f..... up" and not really necessary, but thats the film. bales character is torn between wants, dreams and the past and i guess it gets him in the end.. well worth seeing
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MCT:March 29, 2008
Great performances from Bale and Rodriguez. There is the friendship story and also the conflict with one of the home boys being in a longstanding relationship with a woman (Longoria), who wiould rather that he got himself a job and stop hanging out with his best friend... It is har to blame her, when the friend is a psychopat portrayed brilliantly by Christian Bale.
I am giving stars for the performances of the cast, because there wasn´t really a lot to the story. Can´t even say that there was great dialogue either...
Still worth watching for the cast, and also there is some action to keep the attention there. -
MCT:March 29, 2008
I love this shit! Fucking awesome chemistry. More depressing and sad than any intellectual drama. The matrix shot at the end was unnecessary, but besides that great atmosphere.
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MCT:March 25, 2008
The movie works well, but the end seems a bit more dramatic than it should have been. The bonds of friendship are shown wonderfully. Bale doesn't look bad in this psychotic war veteran role. Rodriguez does a great job while trying to keep the love of his life, keep a friend, and save him from himself. Bale's character struggling to get himself back on track, and still have some fun on the side, sometimes gives chills when he suddenly loses his mind for a while. Not a bad flick.
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MCT:March 18, 2008
For most of this movie I was only mildly interested, as it seemed just a catalog of events surrounding the two main characters and their job search while indulging in drugs, alcohol, and petty crime. But as the movie progressed, the themes finally started to emerge and eventually came to a pretty climactic conclusion. Christian Bale's character seemed like a bad stereotype at first, but by the end of the movie he was the most convincing crazy, f***ed in the head person I have ever seen on film. The tension in the last few scenes was just palpable and the ending was intense. So, in the end I'd say the movie is worth your trouble, it just takes a while to get there.
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MCT:March 13, 2008
A movie about friendship and bad choices when you want to do the right things and the troubles are coming for you!
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MCT:March 11, 2008HARSH TIMES (2006)
directed by David Ayer
starring Christian Bale, Freddy Rodriguez, Eva LongoriaQuentin Tarantino is often accused of overusing the word «fuck» in his film, well, in Harsh Times we can accuse David Ayey of overusing the word «dude». Christian Bale is an Gulf War veteran looking for a job in Los Angeles to get to marry is Mexican girlfriend waitng for him in Mexico.David Ayer wrote Training Day which was quite average but Denzel Washington had made more than decent. Here Bale, even if he is one of the best actor of his generation, cant save the film. The poor script and the incompetent direction unforgivable. The main characters spend most of their day in the car talking, drinking while driving, smoking pot and almost getting in trouble. They basically act and speak like teenagers and its extremely annoying.
David Ayer is not in control of his film, he uses too much rap/hip hop music trying do create the same mood as Antoine Fuqua did in Training Day but it definately doesnt work. Christian Bale does what he can, and Im guessing he is pretty good cause he never makes his character likable, and he isnt supposed to be, he is just a stupid motherfucker, but I have mixed feelings about him here, he is one of my favorite actors, but I think he just got this one wrong, overacting and almost laughable. Maybe its the dialogues fault rather than the performance though but I cant really tell, the film never got my interest.
Harsh Times is boring and doesnt have anything interesting to say, the editing isnt really good and some use of close-up are very questionable. I forced myself to finish it cause its unlike me to stop a film before the end.
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MCT:March 9, 2008
Badass... the ONE word I could think of to sum up christian bale in this flick. I would have wrote down "NUTS" but, Im a bale fan so... what can I do right?
The plot itself doesnt tackle any new premise if you've already watched training day. but hot dog!!!, freddy rodriguez and bale make for great performances in this one. -
MCT:March 4, 2008
Great movie! This is definitely something worth watching once, and again. Freddy Rodriguez and Christian Bale definitely pull this off. Great music, an homage to the mid-late 90's rap. Absolutely love it!
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MCT:March 2, 2008
Impressive & thought provoking, Directing is good, Script is well written, and Christian Bale shines with another solid performance he gives
