| Harsh Times |  | Category: DVD
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Rating:  69 reviews
Sales Rank: 202913
ASIN: B00005JP2Y
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Amazon.com
Bleak as its South Central Los Angeles setting, Harsh Times is like a suicidal vortex swallowing men who ought to know better but can't stop their self-destruction. Christian Bale stars as Jim Davis, a stressed-out, former Army Ranger who becomes a very bad influence on his weak-willed buddy, Mike Alvarez (Freddy Rodriguez of Six Feet Under). Together the two meander through streets at night, getting drunk and stoned, finding trouble for its own sake and inviting danger as a ritual of machismo bonding. Mike's wife, Sylvia (Eva Longoria), a lawyer whom Mike, working as a telemarketer, put through school, is repelled by Jim and watches in pain as her spouse chooses a downward spiral over renewal and redemption with her. When Jim's application to join the L.A. police is turned down, he leads Mike into pure anarchy. An impractical change of fortune doesn't help any, and first-time director David Ayer, who wrote the screenplay for Harsh Times years before his script for Training Day, goes to some lengths, dramatically and visually, to convey Jim's unhinged condition. The dreariness of it all, and a sense that Bale has constructed--but not exactly lived in--another in his gallery of lost, misfit souls, makes it hard to connect with this film. Still, it is hard to turn away from these desperate and dangerous characters. --Tom Keogh
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| Customer Reviews: Read 64 more reviews...
 "Harsh Times" speaks to its times. June 17, 2009
R. Curtis (Los Angeles)
Christian Bale is so on the edge during this whole film, it's almost like watching a great athlete in action. He's not as fluid and mesmerising as Al Pacino in "Dog Day Afternoon", but you still can't take your eyes off Bale in this film. This isn't a perfect work of art by any means, and it's hard to like two characters who roll around LA in a big car getting drunk and high all the time and talking trash. But like it or not, this story has its feet planted in street reality. I believed Bale's character with all his evil baggage and his complete inability to rebuild his life and redeem himself. It was obvious that he had left the best parts of himself behind in Afghanistan and nobody back home was ever going to help him get his mind right. The character arc is no doubt predictable. You know our man is a bomb and he's going to explode. But the way it happens seems totally believable to me. The way Ayer handled the violence in this film reminds me of Michael Cimino's work in "Year of the Dragon" and "The Deer Hunter". It creeps up on you slow and in your face, but still shocks and rattles you. "Harsh Times" is not a family flick. And yeah, it's damned depressing. You won't watch it with your girlfriend or young children. But it deserves a good hard look. These vets will all be coming home one of these days. Some of them will be able to rebuild their lives. But too many will be part of a new generation of addicts, homeless people and the mentally ill. "Harsh Times" speaks to its times. It may be overlooked today, but it could emerge as a minor classic years from now.
 Damage Case... March 13, 2009
Bindy Sue Fronkuenschtein (under the rubble)
Jim (Christian Bale) is a man with a plan for his future. His dream is to be in law enforcement, to be a cop. The thing is, Jim has an anger problem. Well, ok, Jim is a seething ball of rage and fury. He is hell unleashed on the streets of LA. Now, this was a beneficial quality in his army ranger days, but not so much in civilian life. Jim is an extremely volitile individual without fear or limits. His best friend, Mike (Freddy Rodriguez) sticks by him, even when Jim begins his homicidal / suicidal decent into final madness. HARSH TIMES is brutal and cruel. Bale is incredible in his mentally destroyed role. The rest of the characters can only watch Jim's fatal journey into oblivion. We are taken along for one last ride...
Christian Bale, yummy, yummy, yummy. March 8, 2009
Kupaianaha (Maui)
Anthing with Christian Bale is good. Just being able to look at him is good. He is a very diversified actor and unique.The move is wild and he pulls his part off great.
awesome flick February 1, 2009
Glenn T. Davis (Hawaii)
I enjoyed this movie very much. I saw it on Showtime, and had to buy it. But I actually didnt watch the end of it until I purchased it. It was an unexpected ending, but powerful. I loved it very much
 The worst Bale movie to date January 16, 2009
John A. Durrett
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Let me first start by saying I am a huge fan of Christian Bale but this movie was incredible bad. Now Bale does however play a great psychopath in this film but the plot is nonexistent. Its as if the director/writer for this movie had the goal of making horrible production from the start.
Please if you want to remain a fan of Christian Bale please under no circumstances watch this movie.
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