Harsh Times
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Movie Reviews of Harsh Times
Movie Review: Christian Bale, yummy, yummy, yummy.
Summary: 4 Stars
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.Movie Review: Great Movie
Summary: 4 Stars
I really enjoyed this movie. My only problem was the title. They could of came up with a better name than "Harsh Times".Movie Review: Thought-provoking and evocative more than likable
Summary: 3 Stars
The Mrs. and I have just moved into our first house together. "So what?" you might counter. Okay, fair enough. I'll get to the point. The only reason I even bring it up is because we've had to change our movie rental affiliations. We used to be regular and frequent customer of Hollywood video because the last 2 places we lived were a short walk away from the local affiliate. But not long ago we found out it was more economically practical to use Netflix (no late fees and lots of movies at a fixed monthly rate). Now, we live a short walking distance from a Blockbuster store, where we can now use the gift cards which have been languishing and accumulating following the last couple of Christmas seasons that our residential proximity has until recently favored Hollywood Video.
So what in the hell does this have to do with the movie HARSH TIMES? I'm not entirely sure I like the tone you're using, but it's a fair question. We rented this movie and several others as a means of circumventing the waiting time it would take us to get them on Netflix. Why this film in particular? Because Christian Bale tends to pick interesting projects and does a pretty good job in them, so we figured it might be worth a look.
Bale stars as Jim Davis, a U.S. Army soldier returning to inner-city Los Angeles from combat in the war on terror (more likely in Afghanistan than Iraq, based on the flashback sequence). He has 3 major goals on his return to the States: join the L.A.P.D., marry his Mexican sweetheart (who is actually from and still in Mexico), and get into trouble with all his "homies". For reasons that will soon become apparent to the audience, his application is rejected by the L.A.P.D. in spite of his otherwise outstanding credentials. This is an unfortunate catalyst for several reasons. Not only does it complicate his goals and ignite his frustration and embitterment, but also because Jim is not the kind of guy who should remain idle for significant periods of time, lest his darker/more unstable side should take a more influential role in guiding his actions.
Although Jim was supposedly an exceptional soldier in an elite unit, his personal characteristics seem to belie a personality that wavers between engaging in sporadic mayhem and even towards self-destructive decision-making. His best friend Mike (Freddy Rodriguez) is a loyal buddy and might even be a good guy in some ways, although he also shares Jim's proclivity for irresponsible behavior and often lacks or fails to demonstrate a grown-up sense of propriety. These two borderline ne'er-do-wells spend their days getting wasted - and in Mike's case - blowing off job searching and leaving phony messages about job interviews, for the benefit of his finitely patient wife (Eva Longoria).
Just as it seems Jim's life might irrevocably tumble down a spiraling path of chaos and nihilism, a remarkably fortuitous opportunity for Jim presents itself. But in order for this to work out, Jim would have to overcome the impulse-driven behavior that seems to be a firmly ingrained facet, and his time is quickly running out with no change in sight. Although you won't like Jim, you still hope that he will finally clean up his act.
I thought Bale did a really good job of defining the character and portraying him believably, using his talent for combining understated performances with high octane bursts of furious energy, all with effective timing. Although, I did have some reservations about his character's believability. In my military experience (which includes 3 years in the Special Operations command), Jim's more disturbing character traits would not have been compatible with success in the Army Rangers. Though the SEALs and Delta Force may have a little of an air or reputation for roguishness, the Ranger community is a more strictly orthodox environment of formality which expects not only remarkable soldiering abilities like the other elite military units, but one that also demands outstanding bearing and conduct and appearance at all times. Even if he is exceptionally brave and tough and competent, I just don't see a guy with Jim's background and obvious character lapses making it long enough to earn his Ranger tab. I'm not saying it could never happen, but it is highly unlikely and difficult to believe.
Another thing that the film left me with was a thought about a guy I knew in the service. In some ways, he reminded me a little of the Jim Davis character (including a mild physical resemblance). They were both gung ho, strong, tough, charismatic, and had other positive attributes which helped others overlook - but sometimes were in jeopardy of being undermined by - some substantial emotional/mental issues. Another parallel between them was that one had an incident which took his career down a path where it eventually stalled just as it looked like he was really going places, while the other got a second chance at professional redemption; conversely, one of them ended up with a decent life otherwise, while the other did not.
Movie Review: Ayer film hits hard but misses necessary emphasis
Summary: 3 Stars
Following Christian Bales acting career is like watching an Olympic swimmer, pushing the boundaries, pushing the improbable to finally win the gold medal to then come back after fours years and do it all again, breaking world records performing like a new star. There seems there's nothing this actor will not attempt to do to push his talent and skill in terms of submerging himself into a character. Whether his performance as the yuppie killer in American Psycho or the emaciated empty headed somnambulist in The Machinist or even the serious caped crusader in the excellent Batman Begins all characters hit the mark, all believable, all extremely well done.
In this realistic drama, he portrays a post traumatic psychotic returned from a tour of duty from somewhere in the Middle East. Bale as Jim Davis does a believable performance, however, does not gain the sympathy (so required in a role like this) from the audience. Something is missing but what exactly is missing?
Freddy Rodriguez, Six Feet Under as Mike Alonzo does a fair job as the irresponsible old buddy badly influenced by Jim Davis's pleas to party and make trouble when Freddy should be looking for a job. Their repartee in Davis's car is realistic and sadly true of two old friends holding on to their respective past, and refusing to grow up. Despite the fact that the two characters are in their late twenties, the dialogue is distinctly adolescent as their drunken and pot fuelled antics while driving the streets of South Central L.A. all too often reveal.
The beautiful Eva Longeria Desperate Housewives plays Alonzo's lawyer wife, gently pushing the boy like a concerned and nagging mother to get a job. Similar to a confused teenager, to cover the fact that he's drinking with Davis, has his friends telephone his home and leave messages as potential employers. He gets caught to then act like a guilty fourteen year old as his beautiful wife kicks him out of the house - loser realism at its most pathetic.
The film begins to change as the two boy's finally land jobs. Although for the psychotic recent war Vet, Jim Davis, his behaviour turns bad, his psychotic breaks more out of control, and the entire fate of these characters and the film now heads on a downward rollercoaster to hell.
Apart from the fact that these druggy antics and violent behaviours from Jim Davis went on far too long throughout the film, Bale never shows us something in the character we can sympathize with...the character is insane to begin with and he just goes more insane as the film progresses. Because the boy is a Vet and most likely a war hero in the traditional sense, like Vietnam, society will not let him back into `normality' because trained killers, soldiers who return from action, are more often damaged goods.
This is the message of the film: Western governments send our boys to war and expect them to do their duty and kill the enemy. But the support they so direly need when returning from the hell of war, attempting to fit back in to society is forgotten. That is why some soldiers continue going back for extra tours, because that's all they know and can do.
Harsh Times is a realistic film, well acted but missed one aspect so necessary in a story of this kind, creating sympathy for the main character. We get the point but as the character is too far gone, we'd rather not look at it or... care.
Movie Review: [3.5]--"Dude the army messed you up man...you should sue them."
Summary: 3 Stars
I thought this movie was pretty cool. You can obviously see that Ayer is sticking to the sort of territory that he's most comfortable with, so it's hard to blame the guy for trying to recreate the same magic in his directorial debut, "Harsh Times." This story revolves around Jim (Christian Bale) and Mike (Freddy Rodriguez), two buddies who spend their days cruising the streets of L.A. on the lookout for trouble. Jim is a war veteran who's suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, while Mike wants to straighten up and fly right - if only to prevent his longtime girlfriend, Eva Longoria, from walking out on him. Ayer emphasizes an appropriately gritty sense of style, refusing to shy away from some of the more unpleasant aspects of Jim and Mike's tumultuous lives. And though Rodriguez and Bale have an equal amount of screen time, there's absolutely no denying that Bale is the central attraction here. Ever since Rodriguez left his role in "Six Feet Under" he has been regulated to supporting roles in ensemble movies, like "Poseidon" and "Lady in the Water," but this is the first role of significance for him since becoming a prominent actor on "SFU." He is very good here, and he has great chemistry with Bale. Whereas Eva Longoria character is badly underwritten and deserves a far meatier role to show of her undeniable acting skills.
There is nothing new or original in this film, but it is never dull or boring and it keeps you with it until the end, despite its incredible flights of implausible incidents and odd coincidences. It does have the distinction though of being the first film to focus on a contemporary Iraq war veteran, but we sadly only see the violent effects of Jim's supposed post-war psychosis and not a hint of explanation as to the causes of his inner demons. Shot quickly over 26 days with a lot of energy and fizz, using super 16mm stock and real locations, the film looks suitably realistic and grimy and you quickly buy into the gritty urban landscape and the skuzzy and confused people who inhabit it.
Unfortunately, Ayer doesn't quite know when to quit, and as a result Harsh Times goes on for a good half hour longer than it needs to. The engaging vibe of the first half is replaced with something far more sinister towards the end, and though it seems logical that these characters would wind up where they do, the film does become somewhat less engaging because of it. Still, there's no doubt that Harsh Times - as a first effort - comes off as uncommonly well, primarily thanks to Bale who is also the executive producer of this film.