Harsh Times
Bauer Martinez Studios | Release Date: November 10, 2006
7.7
USER SCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 75 Ratings
USER RATING DISTRIBUTION
Positive:
56
Mixed:
13
Negative:
6
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User Reviews

User scoreBy dateMost helpful
10
boneMay 10, 2011
Harsh Times is a film that shows the dark side of post-traumatic stress disorder, which is probably why it's judged so harshly. Many people have been affected by ptsd either directly or indirectly so it's understandable if someone doesn'tHarsh Times is a film that shows the dark side of post-traumatic stress disorder, which is probably why it's judged so harshly. Many people have been affected by ptsd either directly or indirectly so it's understandable if someone doesn't want to see this movie or praise it. But if you can handle the touchy storyline, then it's definitely worth seeing. Christian Bale and Freddy Rodriguez give standout performances as the lead characters Jim and Mike. Jim is trying to become a cop and Mike needs a job to make his woman happy, but they get sidetracked constantly, which results in trouble. There is a lot of good dialogue and even some funny moments.… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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10
LoRevisorJan 25, 2015
Christian Bale arrasa na atuação como Jim Davis um ex-soldado sem emprego e mergulhado na merda. Um típico Scarface mostrando alguém que caí na desgraça completa.
Freddy Rodriguez também está ótimo como Mike Alonzo o grande amigo de Jim.Christian Bale arrasa na atuação como Jim Davis um ex-soldado sem emprego e mergulhado na merda. Um típico Scarface mostrando alguém que caí na desgraça completa.
Freddy Rodriguez também está ótimo como Mike Alonzo o grande amigo de Jim. Terry Crews é fenomenal numa performance de única curta cena. Eva Longoria está excelente também. E Tammy Trull também excelente como a gostosa mexicana Marta. Ótimo filme.… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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0
SimonB.Mar 25, 2007
Gangster version of Dumb & Dumber. It's stupid from start to finish.
0 of 1 users found this helpful
5
SpangleApr 25, 2016
Harsh Times is an interesting film that I would say is decisively average. On one hand, it is a brilliant character study into a truly damaged man's mind and the horrific things he experienced. In many ways, this and The Deer Hunter and trulyHarsh Times is an interesting film that I would say is decisively average. On one hand, it is a brilliant character study into a truly damaged man's mind and the horrific things he experienced. In many ways, this and The Deer Hunter and truly the gold standard of making me feel like I have PTSD myself. Christian Bale is fantastic in capturing this broken man's essence and the problems facing him. Yet, on the flip side, the film seems more content to show its two main characters just messing around and drinking while furthering your hatred for them. Harsh Times is clearly not a believer in creating protagonists that the viewer likes. Though they may be flawed, protagonists should still be somewhat sympathetic. Here, you just want him to get his just desserts. This element really holds back the film as well as the pure joylessness. Obviously a dark film, I have no problem with dark films but here, even when they party they seem to not enjoy themselves. This film is pitch dark. Overall, Harsh Times is an entertaining crime drama/psychological drama, but fails to create sympathetic leads and sputters out of control with its compelling premise.… Expand
0 of 1 users found this helpful01
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4
BroyaxJan 11, 2017
Un "road movie" à Los Angeles de poissards sur le retour qui fait penser par bien des aspects à Training Day mais c'est surtout le rôle de Christian Bale qui fait penser à... American Psycho ! pas aussi déjanté ou taré certes mais tout deUn "road movie" à Los Angeles de poissards sur le retour qui fait penser par bien des aspects à Training Day mais c'est surtout le rôle de Christian Bale qui fait penser à... American Psycho ! pas aussi déjanté ou taré certes mais tout de même... En tout cas, du grand Christian Bale qui porte très haut le film sur ses épaules, car loin de nous copier-coller le psycho amerloque, il nous fait un autre numéro, tout en nuances mais tout aussi torturé pourtant : et inévitablement on adhère.

La mise en scène de David Ayer est plutôt présentable mais sans éclat et malgré Christian, Bad Times est trop dilué sur deux longues heures inutiles pour convaincre : on souffle d'ennui dans le dernier tiers, on attend que l'histoire daigne enfin accoucher... d'une souris, car la fin n'est pas à la hauteur des enjeux du personnage. On attendait mieux que ce truc très convenu et sans âme.

L'autre souci concerne le reste de la distribution, très en retrait de Mister Bale, ils sont tellement mauvais qu'on a mal pour eux ! alors dans ces tristes conditions, on ne mentionnera même pas la housewife Eva Longoria nulle à chier comme à son habitude. Non, on en parlera pas, on risquerait de s'énerver.

Comme souvent, un acteur extraordinaire ne suffit à faire un bon film... il le rend (plus ou moins) regardable... néanmoins.… Expand
0 of 1 users found this helpful01
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9
DanielA.Jan 6, 2007
A superbly made film. Gripping, unquestionably acted and with sharp, realistic dialogue. It certainly deserves a far higher rating than the averages displayed here.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
SimonMartsSep 3, 2007
Amazing. A modern day "Taxi Driver". It isn't about blood and guts, this movie follows one messed up dude who's kill switch is stuck in the on position and is going swirly on the downward spiral. You'll love this movie or hate Amazing. A modern day "Taxi Driver". It isn't about blood and guts, this movie follows one messed up dude who's kill switch is stuck in the on position and is going swirly on the downward spiral. You'll love this movie or hate it. I've recommended it to everyone and these are the only two reactions I've gotten.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
9
AndyS.Feb 17, 2007
Superb movie! Great acting from Christian Bale. Surprising good accent!
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
LeeH.Apr 15, 2007
More real than reality TV in depicting the results of war and modern society on young lower class urban men.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
8
AndyApr 5, 2007
Superb acting, especially from Rodriguez, in what turns out to be a great potrayal of a play torn out of the pages of a Greek tragedy.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
KyleFeb 28, 2009
Better than Training Day... Narc was a little better but Bale owned this film.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
6
FrankyF.Nov 12, 2006
Great performances, good story, but only so-so filmmaking.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
0
ECNov 9, 2006
This movie is not only bad, it's (dare I say it) Gigli bad. The premise of the film seems decent with a Gulf War veteran suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome trying to make it again in the real world. However, the movie gets This movie is not only bad, it's (dare I say it) Gigli bad. The premise of the film seems decent with a Gulf War veteran suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome trying to make it again in the real world. However, the movie gets really busy really fast with Jim's (the soldier) friend Mike also trying to find a job. Mike happens to be the lucky husband of Sophie (played by Eva Longoria) who is a lawyer. How a dead-beat drug user ended up with her is still unknown to me as it is never really developed. That also seems to be the case with the rest of the film. They never really develop what Jim went through. They never followed through with the job Jim gets in the film, they never expand on Jim's mysterious relationship with a Mexican woman who he wants to marry and bring into America. They never expand on any of the characters relationships with each other. The film overall tries to have too many plots (romance, struggle in the real world, effects of war) and just simply tried to hard to accommodate them all and failed miserably. On top of that, the dialog is stereotypical of "gangsta" speach and unremarkable at best. The cinematography is absolutely disgusting (the worst part being a slow-motion shooting scene where Jim gets shot). The soundtrack is cheesy and cliched, the direction seems like it was done in the same state the characters are almost the entire movie: drunk and high on marijuana. Which is another point, why are the main characters always driving around drunk and high on marijuana? Another mystery to me is whether I should feel sympathy toward Jim because of what he went through or not. I found it really hard to have sympathy when he's drunk and high and talking smack and sticking guns at people including his girlfriend. In the end, I was left wondering what this movie was really about. I can't figure out for the life of me what the message this movie was trying to send was. Whatever the message was, it was extremely weak and not very well supported by the cast. There wasn't nearly enough scenes with Eva Longoria to keep me interested either. Currently, I am considering the legal possibility of suing all those responsible for the 2 hours of my life they wasted. I would say, avoid this movie. No coherency, no intelligence, "nada" (en espanol).… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
JuanM.Nov 14, 2006
Awesome movie, from beginning to end. Christian Bale has done it again.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
0
SarahB.Dec 25, 2006
I have never wanted to leave a movie more... It was so bad that the stranger in front of us turned around and said "Is it just me, or is the worst movie you have ever seen?"
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
AlekseiPJun 12, 2020
Genuine comradery and great performances delivered by both leading actors. A treat to watch
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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