Harsh Times
by David Ayer
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Chaka Forman, Christian Bale, Eva Longoria, Freddy Rodríguez, Tammy TrullDirector: David Ayer
Brand: Genius
Producer: Christian Bale
Producer: David Ayer
Writer: David Ayer
Producer: Andrea Sperling
Producer: David Gorton
Producer: Jesse Felsot
Producer: Josef Lieck
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 5.1; English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; Spanish (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.66:1
Running Time: 116 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-03-13
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Model: 79955
Studio: Weinstein Company
Product features:
- (Action) Bale stars as an ex-Army Ranger who finds himself slipping back into his old life of petty crime and booze after a job offer from the LAPD evaporates. Honorable discharged, Homeland Security wants to recruit him for some special ops in Central America, but first he has to pass a urine test.which proves difficult. Film directorial debut for Ayer who has written such box office hits as TRA
Movie Reviews of Harsh Times
Movie Review: WANTED: Law Enforcement Recruits Willing To Kill
Summary: 5 Stars
As in real life, there is a fine line that separates the good guys (cops) from the bad guys (the crooks). Good guys are never just good guys in real life, or in a David Ayer script (TRAINING DAY). Sometimes they are conflicted and sometimes they're just plain old criminal punks. And sometimes they're walking on the edge of a criminally insane abyss. Ayer writes mostly crime drama with rogue cop elements and cop-gone-bad conflict. Ayer directs here for the first time. Christian Bale plays Jim, a whacked-out psychopathic ex-Ranger, recently discharged from Active Duty in The Middle East. Jim drags his best friend Mike, played by Freddy Rodriguez, thru the crime ridden streets of Hispanic East L.A. and down into the dark abyss of his personal psychosis. The two wander aimlessly thru their days drinking, smoking reefer, looking for trouble, and trying to sell a stolen gun. Mike is pretending to look for work, while Jim searches for a law enforcement job that will provide him with a license to kill. The L.A.P.D. doesn't want him, but Homeland Security does. But, something insane is about to spoil Jim's "dream job" ...
That something is Jim.
While the plot appears mundane, the inner life of these two men is anything but prosaic.
The script is an actor's dream. It is a showcase character piece for the fine acting talent of Christian Bale. He produced the film. In my opinion, this is his best performance. (I thought he was "F" ing Great in AMERICAN PSYCHO and THE MACHINIST, but he really excels in this performance. Not once did I think I was watching Christian Bale. Or Patrick Bateman.) Everytime he squints his eyes or turns his head in this film, you're bracing yourself for what might follow. A brilliant actor in an amazing role. Freddy Rodriguez is equally impressive in his role. At first, the two seem oddly incompatible. By the end of the film, they are wallowing in on-screen chemistry. They also have great comic timing together. Excellent job!
Eva Longoria plays Mike's girlfriend. She is poignant and beautiful.
The dialogue is a humorously realistic mix of brazen street lingo and (subtitled) Spanish. Some of it is downright hilarious!
"That's a serious breech of the homey code, man."
Like other reviewers, I was instantly struck with this film's resemblance to TAXI DRIVER. Although, the dynamics of "loner pychosis" is absent from this film. And, this Masterpiece of psychotic Suspense stands entirely on it's own. A brilliant film with brilliant performances. Went to bed last night after viewing this film, and I can't get it out of my head. One of The Best Films of 2006. And David Ayer's Best Screenplay.
This film is an INSTANT CULT CLASSIC!
ENJOY.
Summary of Harsh Times
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