Harsh Times
Harsh Times Image
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Metascore
56 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 24 Critics What's this?

User Score
6.6 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 25 Ratings

Your Score
0 out of 10
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  • Starring: Christian Bale, Eva Longoria Parker
  • Summary: From the writer of "Training Day," Harsh Times is a gritty look at friendship, loyalty and ambition on the extremely rough streets of south central Los Angeles. (MGM)

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 24
  3. Negative: 2 out of 24
  1. New York Post
    Reviewed by: Kyle Smith
    88
    If Martin Scorsese were 30 and a Los Angeleno, he'd be making movies much like this one.
  2. Miami Herald
    Reviewed by: Peter Debruge
    75
    Not since "To Live and Die in L.A" has there been such a raw, cynical vision of living and dying in L.A.
  3. Variety
    Reviewed by: Todd McCarthy
    60
    A psychotic seizure of a performance by Christian Bale dominates Harsh Times, the directorial debut of David Ayer that channels "Taxi Driver."
  4. Boston Globe
    Reviewed by: Wesley Morris
    38
    The real problem with Harsh Times is Jim himself. Bale goes at the part with his usual intensity, but the character still seems like a psycho without psychology or a soul.

See all 24 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 12
  3. Negative: 3 out of 12
  1. bone
    10
    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'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
  2. Andy
    8
    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.
  3. FrankyF.
    6
    Great performances, good story, but only so-so filmmaking.
  4. SarahB.
    0
    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?"… Expand

See all 12 User Reviews

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