Harsh Times [Blu-ray] | ![Harsh Times [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51RgVidYjoL._SL500_.jpg) | Actors: Christian Bale, Cesar Garcia, Michael Monks, Danny Mora, Freddy Rodriguez
Studio: Alliance Canada
Category: DVD
List Price: $35.98
Buy New: $28.95
as of 3/17/2010 02:46 EDT details
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Seller: moviemars
Rating:  72 reviews
Sales Rank: 54213
Format: AC-3, DTS Surround Sound, Dubbed, Import, Widescreen
Languages: English (Unknown), English (Original Language)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: Blu-ray
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 116 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 6.7 x 5.3 x 0.5
UPC: 065935829027
EAN: 0065935829027
ASIN: B002HFWAX6
Theatrical Release Date: 2006
Release Date: September 15, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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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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Showing reviews 1-5 of 72
 Some enjoyable performances and moments, but lacking overall February 14, 2010
Steven A. Smith (Columbus, OH)
First off, let me say that I watched this movie having only heard 2 opinions of it. One was negative, the other "meh." So I wasn't expecting much.
That said, it was better than I expected, but still very lackluster. But I'll start with the positives-
-Christian Bale is VERY good in this movie. His accent is not present at all, which is a change from most of the movies in which he plays an American. Even though the character is deplorable and mostly unlikeable, you find yourself on his side for most of the movie. That's hard to pull off in a film, but I give credit to Bale and not the writing.
-Mike Alonzo does a very good job as the hapless straight man to Bale's insane man. And Alonzo is a very underrated actor.
-Some moments were laugh out loud funny, while others were genuinely emotional.
Now on to the negative-
-This film has terrible pacing. Scenes do not flow organically at all. It will jump from wacky hijinks to murder in 3 seconds, and some scenes just end abruptly before they feel complete.
-The plot is thin. As in it barely exists. The story feels like it's the last chapter of a book, but we never got to read the rest of it before we got there.
-Some of the dialog is so bad it makes me cringe.
-Bale and Alonzo carried the movie, completely.
If you like Training more than a lot, you'll like this. If not, just skip it.
 A tense study in self-destruction February 8, 2010
Bradley F. Smith (Miami Beach, FL)
These two are heading down the wrong highway and they can't stop themselves. Almost every scene in this low profile sleeper is crammed with tension and the feeling that things may just go off the rails at any moment. This would be a b-movie film noir if it had been made in the 50s. It's a nice throwback. My only complaint is the unrealistic ending. I won't spoil it, but suffice to say it's highly unlikely that someone would be able to get away free with what transpires here. Bale is extraordinary as the psycho ex-Marine. Watch if you don't mind getting a little tensed up.
 BAD ASS September 12, 2009
TrekbikeLouie (El Paso)
kick ass movie, it's a shame it didnt do better- but none the less, it's more of a guy movie. Most chicks dont understand this. Sadness
 You gotta be joking... August 30, 2009
Anthony F. DeVoe (Mesa, Arizona United States)
Ok, so I've read through some of the reviews here, and Bale is tagged as a hard mofo who is running the streets with danger being his ally.
Let me say this, this movie will not prepare anybody for the real streets. Bale's character would be hogtied and put on a leash and drug through the streets that he was supposedly running rampant through. Any day of the week, and twice on Tuesday.
Let me tell you just one scene, the most ridiculous of all scenes I've seen in years- Bale's character is trying to be a cop, but for some unknown reason doesn't get into the force. Maybe it's because he's SO LOCO. Any way, he gets called by Homeland Security instead, and is told he needs to take a piss test a day after he decides to smoke some pot. So, he starts freaking out, and he takes a turkey baster full of vinegar and injects himself with it. You can imagine where.
I don't smoke marijuana or do drugs of any sort, but even I know just about all the ways to pass a drug test when you aren't clean- I've never heard anything as ridiculous or painful as a turkey baster full of vinegar.
From beginning to end, one of the most ridiculous and over reaching movies I've ever seen. Bale is a great actor, but he must've owed somebody a favor to take this role. I walked away thinking, and am still somewhat certain, this movie was written by fundamental Christians trying to scare kids away from coloring outside the lines, because the whole thing is based around a guy who takes his eyes off of his goals and gets sidetracked with what he calls "partying". And of course, his whole life falls apart because of it. You know, doing anything in excess, including partying, can be very destructive- but watching this movie even once is far more damning to one's soul. Really, a horrible, horrible movie.
"Harsh Times" speaks to its times. June 17, 2009
Koreatown Krooner (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.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 72
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