Harsh Times

Ayers explores the friendship of Jim (Christian Bale), a former soldier, and Mike (Freddy Rodriguez), who's married to a beautiful lawyer (Sylvia) and is unemployed. While Jim eagerly awaits to be employed as a federal agent, he spends his free time with Mike as they hit the road and get stoned. Meanwhile, Mike, although the more rational one, fools his wife by tricking her into thinking that he's handing out resumes while he postpones his search for employment by giving in to peer pressure.

The setting is similar to that of Fuqua's 'Training Day'. David Ayers wrote the screenplay for both movies. His exploration of themes such as friendship, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, racism and unemployment are brilliantly finely woven into this character driven piece. There were a few occasions when the racism angle felt a little overdone. An example is the sequence where Jim is offered a post in Colombia and he attempts to explain his situation with his Mexican girlfriend. The reaction he meets felt a little over-the-top.

The execution is simplistic and good. The setting looked very real. The beautiful Mexican landscape contrasts well with the harsh LA streets and it mirrors Jim's internal conflict.

Bale's subtle depiction of his torment (that is eventually explosive) and his on screen reaction to his co-stars are brilliant. There are a couple of scenes where he tends to overact but otherwise he is very good as this tormented soul with a phony exterior. His accent was laughable but it felt authentic as it suited the character. Rodriguez is terrific all the way. He provides some excellent comic relief and his performance appears spontaneous and natural. His scenes with Bale and Longoria are the highlights of 'Harsh Times'. Eva Longoria and Tammy Trull are effective in supporting roles.

'Training Day' has a more Hollywood ending than 'Harsh Times'. Perhaps this ending does not hold an appeal as universal which is why it did not receive as much recognition. While it is too dramatic, it came as a surprise. Nonetheless, David Ayers's 'Harsh Times' is an interesting character study even though slightly flawed in parts.

I'm glad i haven't seen training day or i'd feel compelled to compare. This film feels real, and the director really makes you feel like you are actually IN the film, in the situation with the characters. You feel part of their lives and start feeling FOR them. Freddy Rodriguez plays a kinda good guy with a weak will and gets roped into anything Jim(Bale) gets him into. His relationship with Eva longoria is something people can identify with. Christian Bale is mind blowing from the moment the film begins (pun intended) he is very believable as Jim and is one crazy SOB in this film, he pulls off the dialogue, attitude and body language really well, You just couldn't tell he was a Brit, let alone welsh. his acting prowess is impeccable. Miles away from the Bruce Wayne he played recently.

All in all, its a good film, i won't give away the story, though its nothing extraordinary but it gives us the feel of how life is in crime ridden cities where people fight for survival every single day.

Christian Bale is an actor who is never orthodox. His string of films have in general been breaking moulds and testing his own ability, and more often than not you leave the cinema thinking that you had seen something special.

Having revived the Batman series and out-Lynched David Lynch in "The Machinist", he has now tackled the troubled life of a war veteran who is trying to find a job in order to be able to settle down so he can marry and bring over his wife from Mexico. Alongside him is his best friend who is also in the same situation of finding a job but this time in order to satisfy his frustrated working wife. As always nothing goes as easily to plan.

The two lead actors end up struggling through job rejections, life, gangs, drugs and drinks, and also the struggle to move on from their carefree lifestyle when they were young. Responsibility is a difficult option for the pair of them. The problem is exacerbated by Christian Bale's character's flashbacks and hauntings to the war, which add a frightening and unstable edge to his character.

The film overall takes us on an unpredictable journey following the two men questioning ourselves what we would do if we were in their shoes, and watching the pair of them acting and opting for what they do can be unsettling. Acting is great, direction is interesting and you will not be disappointed. If you like Crash, then in some ways this is in the same vein but not alike to the movie. I thoroughly was interested and enjoyed this movie, and if you want a thought-provoking film then this is definitely for you.

Screenwriter David Ayer ("Training Day") debuts as director with this not uninteresting look at some troubled lives. The fact that the script is autobiographical does give it some impact, and overall the story is potent in the way that it chronicles one mans' downward spiral when it seems that fate is conspiring against him. The main character is based on men that Ayer knew, and while not all that sympathetic, he's a commanding presence, flaws and all. What helps a great deal is the acting by the talented Christian Bale (also one of the executive producers here), who's as incredible as ever completely immersing himself in a role. Well shot and fairly absorbing, the film doesn't have that much resonance when it's over but it would be hard not to feel *something*.

Bale plays Jim Davis, a former Army Ranger who was very efficient at brutally dispatching the enemy. When he returns stateside, he drifts back into a life of petty crime, pot smoking, and general aimlessness. He's not totally unambitious, though; he does have aspirations of joining the LAPD. There is a problem, however: he's mentally unbalanced, and tends towards being irresponsible. His best friend Mike (Freddy Rodriguez) isn't much better off, willingly going along with Jim on his escapes despite the fact that he's promised to find employment to help out his girlfriend Sylvia (Eva Longoria).

Bale is really the one that makes this a must-see, acting with his customary intensity and sense of commitment. Rodriguez is very good as well, offering a somewhat more rational- minded individual who runs into problems when he insists on being loyal to his friend. The cast of mostly unfamiliar faces does well; J.K. Simmons and Terry Crews are great as always in their small roles, and Tammy Trull is beautiful and appealing as the Mexican woman whom Jim intends to marry. Cinematographer Steve Mason gives this a very slick albeit fairly monochromatic look while Ayer mostly refrains from visual gimmicks until near the end. Graeme Revells' touching score is supplemented by an eclectic soundtrack.

Fans of urban crime dramas should find this to be pretty entertaining.

Seven out of 10.

This is a pretty good movie. It's really intense and disturbing. The pairing of Freddy Rodreiguez and Christian Bale definitely covers the wide range of emotions that the duo go through during the film. I won't be too specific, but Bale really pulls off a haunting portrayal of a guy who is really messed up, but never fails when he needs to expose what little shred of humanity that still remains. Rodreiguez plays opposite Bale and plays well off of him and vice versa. Eva Longoria makes an appearance in this film and that's always something to look forward to. I recommend this movie, but it isn't for the squeamish. It's a lot like Training Day, (also written by director David Ayer) and I'll go as far as to say that it's actually better.