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Jim Davies (Christian Bale) is back on the streets of LA after six years in the army. He finished up as a Ranger before being honourably discharged. Suffering with extreme PTSD, he hits town with his buddy Mike (Freddy Rodriguez). Jim is trying to start a career in law enforcement, but his psychological injuries are proving an obstacle. He feels that he has no hope if he does not get a career in law enforcement, and he is worried about how he is going to get his wife-to-be over the border and living legally out of Mexico. Mike, meanwhile, is unemployed and his wife (Eva Longoria) is on the warpath. The film follows the pair as they drive around the city, drinking, smoking weed and engaging in medium-level criminality, ostensibly handing out resumes for Mike to get a job. All while Jim's psychological state worsens.

Christian Bale's frightening performance as Jim Davies is the towering point for this film, the directorial debut of the man who wrote the screenplay for the superb "Training Day". While Bale's performance is manic, it tends to veer close to being over-the-top at times, while Freddy Rodriguez's does more so. It is not helped by some dodgy script writing, which is surprising seeing as how it's coming from the man behind "Training Day". The dialogue could have been better. It sways too much into hip-hop parlance with "dawg" thrown out a bit much and some of it is cringe-worthy. I'm not saying people don't talk like the way the men do in this film, but it just came across as a bit pantomime, and together with the scenes where the two leads lose the run of themselves a little it was detrimental to the overall impact. Overall this is a real heavy-hitter. The film pulls us in to all this anger and misery and bludgeons us with the baseball bat until it is covered in blood and snaps in two. In that sense it does a commendable job, but it did not seem to realise it's potential. All it's missing is a bit more plot focus and some fine tuning in the script and character writing.

Harsh Times is an intense film. Keeping you on the edge of finding out how crazy events can become seems to be a staple in the writing of David Ayer. He penned the script for the gritty cop drama Training Day and saw its star, Denzel Washington, win an Oscar for his portrayal of the conflicted beast at its core. With his new film, and directorial debut, Ayer has crafted another street drama about people who themselves don't know whether they are the good guys, the bad guys, or both. Don't be surprised if his work soon creates a second starring Academy Award, as Christian Bale is a powerhouse. The raw acting talents of this Brit are unfathomable and thankfully his rejuvenation of Batman has finally allowed those chops to be shown on screen in challenging roles for the masses.

Crossing between being the soldier/sir, yes sir type of man with the gangbanger of his past could be a difficult thing to believe for a viewer. Bale deftly changes personas as if he was flipping a switch. His ability to go from crazed lunatic to apologetic, tear-filled and beaten man is amazing to watch. Having a great up-and-coming actor to play off of is a plus as Freddy Rodriguez shines in much the same way Ethan Hawke did in Training Day—playing the straight man whose life is finally on the up and up before his love for a friend drags him back down. The rapport between them is believable and effective in showing us what could be. One of their friends, played nicely by Chaka Forman, gets it right when he says how Bale's Jim used to be so mellow. His fits of rage and confusion come upon him with no warning, showing us what war did to him. Being in the trenches created a man without a moral code, one who needs to not think, but just do. If one's capacity to kill was always there, he/she could probably live their lives being able to turn it off when needed. However, if you were not wired that way to begin with, the stark contrast could fry their mind into not knowing what it should do. Harsh Times shows us that fall into delusion and self-loathing to the point where thinking doesn't factor in at all, action becomes reflex and reflex becomes life. Unfortunately society is not of the shoot first variety like that of a warzone.

Ayer has done himself well with this directorial effort. He gets great performances throughout and in multiple languages. Even Eva Longoria was adequate and not a blemish on the film as I initially felt she might be. Ayer shows us all facets of his characters helping to enhance the story. We are privy to the past history of all involved and are allowed to understand each person's motives. Seeing the paradise that Bale has in Mexico adds immensely to the conflict going on inside of him as well. The performance by Tammy Trull is paramount to this fact and her undivided love for her broken man is beautifully expressed. This relationship makes his actions that much more powerfully unfathomable. We have monsters among us in this world and while they can be utilized as a necessity for the survival of our culture, hopefully when their jobs are done they can be helped to assimilate back into society without their ambivalence being able to hurt the ones they love.

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.

Not a "feel-good" kind of movie, it will definitely move you to tears if you are as tender-hearted as I! As a tragedy, it is a compelling story of our times, as set in the grimy side of an inner-city scenario. What really blows me away is that I know beyond all shadow of a doubt that people really live and breathe and behave that way.

The violence is horrific, the language as gritty as you could imagine it being in such a setting. If you are offended by too much profanity, this movie is not for you! The people portrayed are portrayed with all the depth and humanity possible by actors and actresses! Christian Bale, Freddy Rodriguez and Eva Longoria and the other actors and actresses stand up to the test and are believable- and more than once I found my heart either pounding from the hard-moving action- or my eyes swelling with tears for those on "stage".

This movie gets 8 stars from me.

It is not for everyone.

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.

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.

First off, let me start by saying that I have never been bothered to write a review on IMDb. Although a fan of the site, I skim read reviews, often not having the patience to read the long essays that over-excited people write. However, I feel it is my obligation to express my opinion on this movie because it is one of a short list of movies that has made an impact on me emotionally.

I honestly believe that Christian Bale's performance in this movie was truly outstanding. If Denzel Washington can be rewarded for best actor in Training Day then Bale deserves his just rewards for Harsh Times. His portrayal of Jim David, an ex-army ranger, is coated in layers of emotional complexity and psychological deterioration. His ability to transform from an honourable, courteous officer to a full blown psycho and then back to loving boyfriend and 'amigo' is truly terrifying.

Sharing much screen time with Bale is a relatively unknown Freddy Rodriquez. He seems to feed off Bale's character and forces the audience to feel sympathy for him as a childhood friend who can't abandon his crazy best friend. A cross between Benny Blanco (Carlito's Way) and Ethan Hawke's character in Training Day, Rodriquez shows his ability in mixing comedic moments up with emotional intensity and apathy. His friendship with Bale is so unpredictable that as an audience, you find yourself laughing with them at one moment and the next on the verge of tears.

David Ayer has created a dark, moody portrayal of South Central Los Angeles, very similar to that of Training Day. It's a bleak, bustling environment where the main characters encounter drug dealers, gang leaders, prostitutes etc. What I found interesting was the way Ayer introduced the beautiful barren Mexican landscape amongst the roughness of LA life. This was to show the personal crossroads Bale's character experiences. The choice whether to stay in Mexico and marry his girlfriend, or to satisfy his sadistic urge to kill and work for the drugs squad in Columbia.

It's frustrating that Harsh Times will not get the box office recognition it deserves. However, through word of mouth and DVD release, I am certain that this will become a sleeper classic, in the style of Shawshank Redemption. I feel that Christian Bale's performance is as mesmerising as De Niro's Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver or Edward Norton's character in American History X. His raw approach to the role makes for a startling but very rewarding experience.

Overall Verdict: A tour de force of a movie with fantastic performances, stylish direction and an after-taste which will stay with you for a very long time. Not since American History X has a movie affected me on such an emotional level. Christian Bale deserves more credit. Much more.....

9.5/10

Went to see the movie last night without knowing what it was about. To say that I enjoyed the movie from start to finish would be an understatement! I thought Christian Bale was absolutely fantastic, his depiction of an ex soldier trying to get back to "normal" ie get a job, have a relationship, while slowly (or maybe not so slowly!)slipping into mayhem & madness was Oscar winning material. He was at war with himself on a downward spiral and bringing any semblance of normality with him. I know I certainly felt I was grabbed by the throat and brought along for the ride. It's not often a movie is so scary and so sad at the same time. I loved it!

This film could have easily been called time bomb but maybe that was too obvious. With another outstanding performance from Christian Bale as a discharged war vet trying to cope with life after conflict it is a gritty look at street life and what happens when your edges fray beyond recognition. With a support from Six Feet Under's Freddy Rodriguez as his buddy who is irreversible dragged along for the ride, it is a solid performance and quite a jump from TV to film. Elsewhere desperate housewives Eva Longoria plays the put upon spouse who finds herself in between the twos friendship and troubles. Shot on grainy film like Narc with nods to Jacobs Ladder, Bale's character painfully unravels as the film progresses. He is unemployable and unstable possessing a mind that wants to just get f*cked up to escape a past, but the drink and drugs only serve to fuel his psychosis and instead of numbing the memories reaffirm that he is a trained killing machine a long way away from any battlefield. With a script peppered with swearing and equally messed up characters at 2 hours in length Harsh Times is just that at points, harsh. Dark and unnerving it is an on the edge of your seat thriller ride from bloody start to bloody conclusion. Madness of war and its casualties isn't new ground, but the way the film plays out is. Strong performances and strong language glue together a challenging film with a strong subject matter and Bale yet again proves how good and diverse an actor he can be. It is hard to say a film like this is enjoyable as it is such an uneasy watch, but for anyone who can get through it, I assure you it is worth it.

HARSH TIMES is an engaging little character study of what it means for an ex-soldier to live with post-traumatic stress, all wrapped up in a jazzy thriller package that recalls the 'edgy' likes of TRAINING DAY and NARC. Indeed, this is a film masquerading to be something it's not, and I'll be the first to admit I didn't appreciate the 'look' of it very much: the supposedly realistic, gritty, on-the-street vibe has been done to death both in the movies and on TV and it's something I'm frankly tired of. Drugs, casual violence, profanity; it's all here and proving there's nothing new under the sun.

The good thing about this movie is the quality of the cast, as headlined by Bale, Rodriguez, and Longoria. They're excellent. Bale once again delivers the goods as a messed-up soldier haunted by his violent past, and he gets to do some great emotional meltdown scenes. A young, fresh Rodriguez is the perfect foil, while Longoria adds a bit of class to the proceedings. I found the film's storyline to be somewhat meandering, and some scenes feel extraneous to the central plotting. But it all comes together in the last half-hour which proves to be gritty, edge-of-your-seat stuff; it really is impossible to predict what kind of catastrophe is going to happen. The emotional coda packs a real punch thanks to Bale's heartfelt turn, making this film better than it has any right to be.

I went to see Harsh Times knowing little about it aside from that Christian Bale was in it.

It's hard to go into detail without spoiling the plot, but it's an excellent story of two friends down on their luck, one of them an ex-soldier with some serious post-traumatic stress syndrome.

All the acting is top-notch, and knowing people very similar to the ones in the movie, I would say that it is spot-on, which is a very hard thing for any actor to nail.

A lot of the time when you watch a movie with Brad Pitt in it, you're just watching Brad Pitt be Brad Pitt. As cool as he is, this tends to spoil the movie and any suspense of disbelief.

I've seen a lot of Christian Bale movies, and even so, I forgot that it was Christian Bale throughout most of the entire movie. That is an incredibly impressive thing indeed.

The movie may not get an Oscar, but it is done superbly well, and Christian Bale is quite possibly the next Anthony Hopkins.

Christian Bale has been one of my favorite actors since American Psycho, with his battery of fine films including hits like Equilibrium, Batman Begins, and The Prestige. However, no amount or great future movies could ever atone for having to watch him (poorly) attempting to appear "ghetto" in this mess of a terrible action flick. Did he read the script before he agreed to play the down on his luck hero of Harsh Times? Bale cannot act well in this role, and listening to him moan on about wanting to get "****ed up!" made me want to throw up. Harsh Times? You don't understand the meaning of the words until you sit through this travesty. I can't even allow myself to score this trash any higher than a 1/10, and I think that's being generous.

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.

"Harsh times" is brilliantly played and keeps the audience riveted for the whole runtime. The start is excellent and the adrenaline level remains constantly acceptable, although the ending gets maybe too gruesome. Christian Bale is one of the best young actors nowadays and this time as well his acting is outstanding (as excellent as in "The Machinist"), Eva Longoria nothing special - acting performance wise - whereas the LA locale is perfectly fitting. At the end of the movie the viewer - amidst many cries - has a sigh because the neurotic won't join the Feds but the overall story works for sure, reminding somehow the recent "Crash".

The movie offers very good insight into the lives of two young men of south central LA and all the danger those lowlifes have to face. It emphasizes all the bad things we already know about those hoods and takes us deeper into the action and reality. The story is nothing breathtaking, it's merely something like a simple overview of the period and the area, but the development of the story towards the end, and of the characters is very good.

Honestly, the only weakness in this picture was Bale in the first 30-40 minutes of the film, as I just could not get used to him as a wannabe Latino tough guy. The "gangsta" attitude just did not stick to him, and I simply could not help thinking "god how fake this looks". However, towards the end, he either got deeper into the character or deeper into my head, but it felt good to watch him by then.

The movie in general is quite good, but nothing that would send shivers down your spine. In any case, I recommend it as it's a good piece to be seen, realistic and dramatic, especially the last few minutes.

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.

Is it perfect? Nope. Is it worth the watch? YES!

This is a fun film coming from the creator of Training Day. It's very similarly designed. In fact, it's almost the same formula. It doesn't nearly live up to the other so don't go in with high expectations.

A young Bale (Jim) who's a combat veteran with severe PTSD needs to find a job and so does his friend. They live in a primarily Hispanic neighborhood of L. A. (I'm not looking up the details on this) and he's the white boy in the crew. It seems that his friend Mike, played by Freddy Rodriguez, is the only delusional person about his lack of sanity.

Mike and Jim get jobs and want to celebrate before they start their new careers. Jim can't just go to a club. NOOOO! He wants to go to Mexico with his pal. He twists Jim's arm and curses out Jim's women and they head across the border for the second or third craziest scene in the film.

"VATOOOOOO" this is some "fountain of bloooooood"

People saying this is Bales worst performance obviously don't know anything about acting!

In South Central Los Angeles, the unbalanced, deranged and neurotic ex-Ranger Jim Luther Davis (Christian Bale) meets his best friend Miguel 'Mike' Alonzo (Freddy Rodríguez) to drink beers and smoke joint. Jim is expecting to join the LAPD to marry his Mexican girlfriend Marta (Tammy Trull) while Mike is being pressured by his mate Sylvia (Eva Longoria) to find a job. When Jim is refused by the police department, he becomes furious and begins a series of violent actions until he is called by the Federal agency and assigned to work in Colombia. Meanwhile, Mike gets a dream job, making Sylvia happy. Jim invites the weak Mike and their friend Toussant (Chaka Forman) to spend the weekend in Mexico. After some incidents, Jim returns bringing 20 kg of marijuana to Los Angeles, leading to a tragic end.

"Harsh Times" is a dramatic good movie based on two unpleasant characters. Jim Luther Davis, brilliantly performed by Christian Bale, is an unbalanced man, a former soldier with strong psychological problems, actually sequela of war associated to his intelligence, his formation in a bad neighborhood and lack of opportunities in his civilian life. Mike Alonzo, performed by Freddy Rodríguez, is a man with a weak personality and with an exaggerated machismo, also fruit of his formation in a bad neighborhood, and absolutely influenced by Jim. Together, they steal, fight, drink booze, smoke pot, do not respect women, therefore they are really scum. Along a couple of days, the viewer follows their "adventures" in this powerful and non-optimistic realistic film. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Tempos de Violência" ("Times of Violence")

The plot in this film is somewhat like an aircraft that spends a puzzlingly long time taxiing along the runway before it finally gets airborne. Even then, it is not until the final part that the joystick is forcefully pulled back, and with a great whoosh we are up for some very showy loop-the-loops and victory rolls. HARSH TIMES is both sophisticated and ambitious, with intriguing character development. Despite the slow start that had me, an avid fan of Christian Bale, shifting uncomfortably in my seat, it is never the less witty, ingenious, and a pleasure to watch. Christian Bale undoubtedly stole the show.

Alright so I've seen Training Day, which was a fantastic movie. I saw the previews for this, and was intrigued to go to the theater and check it out. I didn't, and boy am I glad. This movie had so much potential to be a great film, and turned out to be a total joke.

Lets start off with the acting. I enjoyed Bale in American Psycho, but his acting in this was so unconvincing. The dialog between Bale and Rodriguez was so phony, so forced to throw in extra 'street' slang. Basically the impression I got from these two speaking was amateur. Bale is talking like he is some straight up 'G'. I suppose I cannot blame the actors completely for a weakly written script.

The plot was a joke! It went nowhere. So Bale was a soldier and then is in Mexico with this girl he wants to marry in the US. Then he hooks up with Rodriguez who is an 'alcoholic bum' who needs to find a job, and they cruise around drinking and getting high. Sorry we saw the whole bad ass drinking/smoking/bullying while cruising South LA in Training Day before. Then the movie does a 360 and just loses me, goes nowhere.

What a waste of two hours. How did someone approve this script? Horrible. If u really want to watch it for yourself go ahead. Don't say I didn't warn you.

PS: Training Day 9/10 - Harsh Times 1/10