Harsh Times
|
List Price: Our Price: $4.26 You Save: $5.69 (57%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.69 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
Movie Reviews of Harsh Times
Movie Review: slow moving
Summary: 3 Stars
this movie had the potential to be really good. they used real small time crime problems and incorperated them into a storyline that could have possibly been interesting if it weren't for the pacing which kept this movie moving so slowly that i had to fast foward a few times to get to the next moment worth watching.
I'm not just talking about the harsh action scenes, even though those did make this movie pop in certain spots. i'm talking about anything that would have contributed to a plot we could understand. A lot of things that didn't matter happened in this movie, and by the end i didn't feel they paid off for themselves. If you want to make a high action movie, remove some of the unnecessary plot points and focus on the ones that matter.
I must say that the acting was good, on all sides. they were convincing for what the actors (not just Bale) were given. That is why i gave it another star. Unfortunately what they were given was a bunch of ideas the director thought real life in south central LA would be like, without the experience of actually living there. that was the feel that not only I, but many of my friends felt. this movie felt cheesy, and i really wanted to like it. i tried hard to like it, but it just wasn't convincing. give all these actors other roles please.
Movie Review: Too "American"
Summary: 3 Stars
Don't get me wrong, the film was just a bit too "in your face" , "homie" , "traumatic" yet tried scratching a wall of emotion. There is this certain pride people get out of being out of control. The central character is this and more. Harsh Times has an appropriate title. The best thing about the movie is the last one minute. I loved the last scene. One's able to relate to a lot of paranoia the central characters feel in this city world. Christian Bale was a bit too convincing in his role, there is no reason one can possibly like his character. Freddy R acted quite well and came up with the goods though I kept wondering where I've seen him before. Freddy's character is passive while Christian Bale does his own "American History X" The first hour reminded me of a movie called "Knockaround Guys" in terms of the animated characters and impulse driven scenes. The reason this film fails to deliver the knockout punch is mainly because of Bale's character. I've never been to L.A and maybe I never will but I seriously wonder what was going as far as the direction goes. Do give it a try if (like me) you have to see every film featuring Bale. Overall, an under-performer.Movie Review: Turgid Stuff, This
Summary: 3 Stars
While no one would fault a writer/director from wanting to depict just how low life can descend, making a film script that is three-quarters repeated expletives and tiresome current slang terms ('dude', 'dog' etc in place of names) wears thin after the first half hour of HARSH TIMES. One wonders if David Ayer wanted to create the feeling in the theater (or living room!) just with the tenor of the film.
The story is so minimal that it needn't be summarized other than to say it is the downward spiral of an ex-army man (Christian Bale) and a wishy-washy burned out failure (Freddy Rodriguez) as they ignore the needs of the women who care about them (a strong Eva Longoria) and choose instead to drink, smoke pot, and act like bad children.
The cast is a strong one - in search of a script that means something - but even Christian Bale and Freddy Rodriguez can't rescue this deflating balloon. It is just a sad film all the way around. Grady Harp, March 07
Movie Review: Harsh Times
Summary: 3 Stars
My Oppinion: Harsh Times is a very good drama, but has a lousy story and is kinda boring. Christian Bale does an outstanding performance and so does Freddy Rodriguze.
About The Film: Harsh Tims is about Jim an ex-army ranger who comes back home reunits with his bst friend Mike and applies for the LAPD. When The LAPD rejects him he goes into a vilont act and petty crimeand he drags his weak-milled friend mike with him. Mikes wife sees what jim is doing to her husband and pushes mike to get a job and all Jim wants to do is go out drinking and sale drugs. When Jim and mike end up with 20 kg of marjuwana jim gets a tragic end.
If You Liked this movie then check out Harsh Times the original motion picture soundtrack.
Movie Review: Awesome performances, wasted
Summary: 3 Stars
This movie could have been great, hey everybody needs a grim peek at hopelessness now and then, but the script just wasn't worthy of the actors outstanding performances.
The two male leads gave fantastic oscar-worthy performances. Especially Freddie Rodrigues as Jim Davis' best friend (& boyfriend of Eva Longoria's character Sylvia). Excellent, "Dude".
All in all I can't fault the actors. The screenplay just didn't catch and hold, and Bale's character was poorly written in that it really took awhile to catch onto him being insane and care a darn about what happened to him or his pal.