Harsh Times (2006)

The movie is just simply the typical David Ayer movie. It sports minimal two main characters, not one as many of modern movies have. The characters go through a neighborhood in a car, wreaking havoc and mischief all over, making the movie seems like it doesn't have any certain destination point. These happen until one time the mischief and mistakes caught the characters and come around on them in a final conflict. The result of the final conflict leaves every main character, except one, dead. This plot running is what we'll expect from a David Ayer movie as has been seen in Training Day, End of Watch, and even Fury. But Harsh Times made it nice for Christian Bale because this movie nicely showcases his acting brilliance. Freddy Rodriguez did enough to provide a balancing angle for the movie. Yet Eva Longoria and J.K. Simmons seems as very much wasted talents in this movie.

Jim Davis (Christian Bale) is an ex-Army Ranger who is haunted by his experiences. He gets drunk and has bouts of anger. He gets let go as a LAPD candidate. He needs a job to bring his girlfriend Marta over from Mexico. His best friend Mike Alonzo (Freddy Rodríguez) is being pressured by his girlfriend Sylvia (Eva Longoria) to get a job. Instead, they drive around robbing criminals, drinking and smoking weed. Jim has a side piece Letty who is now property of gangster Flaco. He gets a call from Homeland Security. He gets a drug test and a polygraph with Agent Richards (J.K. Simmons).David Ayer pushes his vision of self-destruction. Christian Bale goes all out as the arrogant brash Jim Davis. It works well to some extent but I need him to get pummeled early on in the movie. The movie would work much better if Flaco beats him to a pulp before Mike could rescue him. It would lower him further down on a downward spiral. It's not as compelling watching an azzhole flushing his life away. It's more compelling to watch a loser flushing his life away. Also I think it's more real and compelling to have Mike leave Jim in the final act. Jim being alone would be a great opportunity for him to lose complete control.

A shitty movie about shitty people. It starts out well. A veteran has problems finding a job after six years as a ranger in Afghanistan. He's in love with a girl in Mexico and spends what time he can visiting her, all the while not being allowed alone with her by her family. He sees himself as law enforcement material and applies to various agencies for a job. He has a best buddy whom he hangs out with and every day convinces to blow off his job search (encouraged by the dude's attorney girlfriend) to instead get drunk and smoke dope while they drive around in a seeming unmarked cop car as they commit minor dope thefts and shakedowns of the vet's enemies. One day they both (miraculously!) get jobs. They head down to Mexico to celebrate and upon their return, the vet messes everything up. That's the best I can explain without creating spoilers.

This movie is under the shadow of training day but is better in my opinion. I am a fan of Christian Bale and I don't think anyone else can play someone falling into a dark psychopathic place than him (see American psycho). For me this movie is all about having a friend who you can't say no to. I have had this friend before and the way that it is portrayed in this movie is absolutely spot on. The other reviews which mention that it takes a while to really grab your attention is true(which is why I give this a 9 and not a 10). The friendship between Bale and Rodriguez does keep you engaged though. This is what makes this movie so good, their friendship appears to run deep and very true to me anyway.If Denzel won an Oscar for Training day then I think bale deserves one here and Rodriguez for supporting actor.