Harsh Times

Disappointment. After Ayer's perfect Street Kings, I was expecting another LA street hell, but I wasn't able to get past the contrivance. Plus, I wasn't buying Bale's acting in this one, and his constant use of language from the motherfucker tribe seemed overdone. The graphic depiction of the loss of self-control is just extra too, and in general it's all rather abbreviated. Ayer simply didn't have a sure directorial hand yet. (12/06/2010)

I haven’t seen such a good move about nothing for a long time. Christian Bale’s Jim Davis is the best played, most unpleasant character of the past few years. He could probably manage to pull off a three-hour gaze into the mirror with style. His interpretation of the mental sale of this unstable, dumb, aggressive brute is an unforgettable experience. I believe there are countless people like that around. I have the misfortune to know one myself. Just a shame that the role played in this movie by my favorite, Freddy Rodriguez, didn’t suit him one little bit. Also the movie could easily have been a little shorter. But thank god for Bale - his incredible skill moved the entire movie along wonderfully... (02/19/2008)

Too shallow. Over time, the constantly pissed off and off the rails expression of Christian Bale will start to irritate you just like his problems in the film – he starts and doesn't even really know why. Harsh Times is indeed intense, but it has nothing to offer in terms of plot. The overwhelming majority of things are there for effect and it doesn't get under your skin. That is, assuming you have seen a thing or two and a high concentration of fucks and the raw feeling of a big city's periphery are not something that would impress you. (10/09/2014)

Ayer's attempt to be rough, impactful, and vulgar at all costs perhaps works initially. Then Bale’s style, however perfectly acted, in which he tries to emulate the style of Mexican gangsters, becomes significantly irritating. The problem stems from the director/writer, whose mix of street gangster and personal testimony of a war-scarred veteran shatters into an obnoxiously chatty and overwrought routine. Hands off this one, you'll have much more fun playing "GTA: San Andreas." It’s on the same level in terms of ideas and yet you'll be in the thick of it at will, not for an annoying two hours. (10/12/2007)

Harsh Times has a huge advantage in its main character, who has such potential that it is a pity that an eight-part series did not come into being, which would further develop the story of the main character and his twisted motivation and fulfill the genre's possibilities. The problem is that the viewer is enticed by interesting characters and feels that a great crime drama is unfolding, only to find out that instead of a suspenseful crime story, they are watching a psychological drama with an ambiguous and unfinished ending. In this case, the main character's journey toward self-destruction is more important than the point and plot. Armed forces, from the police to the army and various private security services, will try to convince you of the perfection of their methods of recruiting new members and that failures are rare. However, here you can see the completely believable rise of a unique psychopath and his successful infiltration into the police force. Jim Davis is a completely realistic villain, whose motivations and actions you tend to believe in, especially when played by the professional Christian Bale. Overall impression: 75%. (07/16/2012)