Hard Times

In the extensive list of films in which Charles Bronson has appeared, we can find titles highly praised by critics and film fans alike, but they all have one thing in common - their creators were aware of the limits of Bronson's acting abilities and cast him in roles as tough, impenetrable men with economical facial expressions and vocabulary. Occasional attempts to assign him a character with more complicated psychology ended in confusion at best. On one hand, it is a shame that Hard Times does not utilize the era of the economic crisis to develop a social drama, and the hinted romantic storyline is also underutilized. However, the director correctly understood Bronson's position as an actor of one type and adapted everything accordingly. Thanks to that, the film functions as it should. It is nothing extraordinary, but this genre film certainly deserves an honest three stars. Overall impression: 60%. (03/03/2021)