Harsh Times - I giorni dell'odio

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.

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.

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.

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!