Love the Hard Way | 
| Director: Peter Sehr
Actors: Adrien Brody, Charlotte Ayanna, Jon Seda, August Diehl, Pam Grier
Studio: Kino International
Category: DVD
List Price: $14.95
Buy Used: $3.82
You Save: $11.13 (74%)
New (11) Used (15) Collectible (1) from $3.82
Rating:  31 reviews
Sales Rank: 31230
Format: Color, Dolby, Dvd, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Original Language), German (Original Language), Russian (Original Language), Spanish (Original Language)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 104 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: KICD03162D
UPC: 738329031626
EAN: 0738329031626
ASIN: B0000C2IVA
Theatrical Release Date: 2001
Release Date: October 28, 2003
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Studio: Kino International Release Date: 07/31/2007 Run time: 104 minutes
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| Customer Reviews: Read 26 more reviews...
 Beautifully Brutal Movie May 4, 2008
S. Eaton (Medford Oregon)
Somehow in my late night meanderings through cable television I found this movie, and having loved Brody's performance in "The Pianist" decided to see what it was about. In the years since, every time it has aired I have watched it with the same fascination as at my first viewing.
As my title states this movie is brutally beautiful. So brutal at times, and so heartbreaking in other times. I have not seen a movie that has so transfixed me with the complexity of the characters. Under other direction the characters could have been shown as black/white, good/bad: the director brings to it beautiful shades of gray.
It could have been easy to hate Jack for what he did to Claire. I would compare their characters as Claire is a fragile flower,delicate, beautiful. I see Jack's fragility in beneath his tough exterior, as he went farther down with Claire, and his outside shell was broken he had the fragillity of a crystal vase.
He has destroyed himself with what he has done to her. In this realization I believe Jack at the end somewhat redeems himself in his writing and explanation. While scrubbing The blood from the floor I feel that every drop that was sunk in the floor was a tear in Jack's soul. Being one who prefers to keep her "rosy glasses" on, I would wish that in some way they would find that brutal, beautiful, fragility within their characters and find a way to be together.
I don't know why I hadn't ordered the film sooner and deprived myself of the beautiful acting in this film, but no more.
Surprisingly compelling August 5, 2007
J. Peterson (Phoenix, Arizona United States)
Originally I rented this movie because I am a songwriter and have a song in it. My family watched it second on a double movie night and we agreed it was heads above the "Major" movie rental we watched first.
Adrien Brody is brilliant in exemplifying a con man you can't help but fall in love with. He is no real treat for the eyes, yet comes across as the sexy bad boy. The well written plot entwines two people of opposite backgrounds and personality types into a bad relationship which, for some reason, you hope will work out.
While not a movie for small children, I recommend this indie film highly for the entertainment factor. I have had to endure some pretty boring indy movies to hear how a song of mine was used, but this one was not one of them. I got so wrapped up in the plot that sometimes I forgot to listen for my song. By the way, it was the ONE country song in the whole movie in a bar scene. I bought the movie recently and feel it is an asset to my movie library!
A Haunting, Complex, Ultimately Rewarding Movie...with a Backstory October 5, 2006
The Jaundiced Eye (Texas, USA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
A complex character study involving two primary characters. Adrian Brody portrays Jack, an intriguingly two-sided figure. One side is literate and sensitive, creating a secret little "office" in a tiny, rental cubicle in which he studiously labors on a novel based on his second side: a violent, risk-taking con man who sets up foreign businessmen with hookers, then masquerades as a vice cop to shake them down. To further complicate his life, he meets and becomes infatuated with a brilliant but virginal movie house concession stand clerk named Claire (Charlote Ayanna). Claire is intrigued by Jack's dangerous side and strongly attracted to his sensitive side, and as a result, falls so deeply in love with him that she is willing to do anything to preserve their increasingly difficult relationship. "Anything" in this case includes drugs, prostitution, and other self-destructive behaviors. As is always the case, gentle people such as Claire cannot venture into this realm without paying a huge price, including complete emotional breakdown and fully intended, not simply "attempted", suicide. How will it end? Apparently even director Peter Sehr could not completely resolve this issue, but it appears that they settled on a sweet but rather ambiguous and unlikely "happy ending".
Plot synopsis aside, there is an equally interesting and unbelievable side story involving Charlotte Ayanna, the virginal Claire. Born in Puerto Rico and originally named Lopez (Ayanna, a stage name, means "blessed), her mother had serious psychiatric problems and as a result, she and her brother and sister were put into foster care and endured an impoverished childhood. Charlotte was in the system for 16 years before being adopted by a family in Vermont. She entered the Miss Teen USA contest, won the title of "Miss Vermont" and ultimately was crowned Miss Teen USA in 1993 wearing a $37 evening gown.
The movie is extremely "gritty" and at times rather depressing, but overall it is definitely worth the viewing time. The DVD deleted scenes include a scene that makes the ending far less ambiguous....be sure to watch.
 [3.5]--Trying to love and be loved with a broken heart. October 2, 2006
Jenny J.J.I. (That Lives in Northern Nevada)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I would have given this flick 4 star, but there were some plotting issues and areas where things didn't get developed as well as they should have. Claire is a grad student who gets straight A's, wanting to rebel she gets with Jack, the petty thief and secret writer, whose world is turned up upside-down by a combination of sex, true love, and loyalty. This film was very intense & leaves you thinking. Anyone, esp. women, who has fallen in love with a "dangerous/mysterious" type will surely relate to this because stories like hers are very common, although not everybody goes to such extremes.
Adrien Brody is an excellent actor and gives an interesting and subtle performance that he slowly let us in to the interior that lies under the criminal, streetwise exterior. The script doesn't actually explain how Jack Grace became the way he is. The sketchy details about his background he provides Claire could be a figment of his overactive imagination. So all we can do is watch Claire sink lower and lower, but eventually redeem herself. Charlotte Ayanna's performance as Claire was wonderful she has depicted this role without any annoying mannerisms and has pushed some realistic traits into her character. Pam Grier is also good in her "almost-cameo" role as the police officer who comes in and out of the lead characters' lives throughout the film as well as Jon Seda as Jack partner in crime and close friend.
`Love The Hard Way' is a bitter sweet love story that will make you think. It also provides some dark mysterious qualities. Peter Sehr is a great director. The cinematography and use of colors that he captures are wonderful. The plot is at once very unconventional, given that it isn't quite as linear as most...and yet has all the elements necessary for a successful drama. All around this movie is worth seeing.
Virgin Myth March 21, 2006
R. A Rubin (Eastern, PA United States)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Pam Grier steals this film and she's only on screen for five minutes total. She's a whole lot of woman! Just kidding. I liked Love the Hard Way. Here is an attempt at a modern romantic myth, namely the American Virgin. Sure men want their love chick to be pure, to raise sons and daughters that are yours and yours alone, but Adrien Brody is a young thief in a porno world he did not make. After all, he's slept with 200 women. So in between hotel sleaze capers, he beds innocent Columbia biology genius with the big chest, Charlotte Avanna, and our Lothario gets more than he bargained for as his virgin becomes promiscuous in the cause of thievery. Naturally, our hero is stunned, angry, and confused.
Charlottes' revenge or strategy to get her man is pretty far fetched, but the director has created an atmosphere of slimy New York thieves on the make with a rap film score and big Cadillac's squealing tires amidst the riff raff, so we sort of believe the unbelievable. It's a nice try in the same vein as Tarentino's script, True Romance, but LTHW is grittier.
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