Harsh Times

Name: Harsh Times
Genre: Drama, Thriller, Crime
Released: November 10, 2006
Duration: 116 min
Rating: 56
Cast: Christian Bale, Eva Longoria Parker

2006

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 24 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 75 Ratings

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7.7

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7.7	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 75 Ratings

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Harsh Times

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Movie Details & Credits

Bauer Martinez Studios | Release Date: November 10, 2006 | R

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)

Director: David Ayer

Genre(s): Drama, Thriller, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 116 min

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Critic Reviews

Kyle Smith

If Martin Scorsese were 30 and a Los Angeleno, he'd be making movies much like this one. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Ken Fox

With his ersatz-gangsta swagger, the once-again buff Bale gives it his all -- he's got to be the most committed actor in Hollywood -- but the real surprise here is Rodriguez, who has all the talent and charisma of a major star. Read full review

Ruthe Stein

All along, you know something terrible is going to happen, and when it does, you leave the theater shaken and deeply moved. Read full review

Todd McCarthy

A psychotic seizure of a performance by Christian Bale dominates Harsh Times, the directorial debut of David Ayer that channels "Taxi Driver." Read full review

Frank Scheck

The film's unrelenting bleakness and misanthropic tone is likely to be a turnoff to mainstream performances, but it provides its lead actor with another opportunity to display his riveting intensity. Read full review

Jack Mathews

The result is an angry, violent mess of a movie with a central character threatening to implode right on the screen. Read full review

Lawrence Toppman

Harsh Times contains exactly 30 seconds of novelty. Read full review

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User Reviews

SimonMarts

Sep 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 it. I've recommended it to everyone and 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

AlekseiP

Jun 12, 2020

Genuine comradery and great performances delivered by both leading actors. A treat to watch

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

LoRevisor

Jan 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. Terry Crews é fenomenal numa performance de únicaChristian 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

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

FrankyF.

Nov 12, 2006

Great performances, good story, but only so-so filmmaking.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

Broyax

Jan 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 de même... En tout cas, du grand Christian Bale quiUn "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

Nov 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 really busy really fast with Jim's (the 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

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