Harsh Times Reviews

Back in 2005, Christian Bale finally broke through with ‘Batman Begins’ but the same year, he also starred in this forgotten drama. Honestly, I thought it was not bad at all. I must admit though, the intro didn’t really convince me. I mean, it was one of the most cheap-ass war scenes I have ever scene and it was pretty obvious those were not done in the Middle East (apparently, the whole thing was shot on a micro-budget and, as a result, they didn’t even have a catering). Afterwards, you learn it was just a dream but still. Fortunately, this movie was not about those war scenes but about the relationship between those two guys, perfectly played by Christian Bale and Freddy Rodriguez. Basically, the whole thing is about them, hanging around in their car, drinking beer, smoking weed. I know, it doesn’t sound really appealing but the actors were really good, and the tone was just perfect. Furthermore, there was a deliberate slow pace and all the events were unveiled naturally. I also enjoyed that you felt constantly that something really bad was going to happen but, even though those guys were obviously playing with fire, they still didn’t do anything really extreme or preposterous, and the way they always managed to not get injured was always believable. Unfortunately, I didn’t like the ending much. I mean, it was pretty obvious that it would end badly for Jim but was it really necessary to show it in the movie? I mean, during the whole thing, shit happens to them but they survive only because the plot needs them to go on but, at the end, they obviously wanted a dramatic climax but it felt forced when the rest of he movie wasn’t. Still, except for this disappointing ending, it is actually a pretty decent drama and it is definitely worth a look, especially if you are interested in Christian Bale’s work.

Christian Bale knows how to play psychological parts really well, this being a prime example. The viewer can follow in the footsteps of his ensuing breakdown through his actions and the reasons he does what he does. His violent past plays a major role in th emovie and leads to the finale quite smoothly but predictably. Overall a good watch if given the time, not as much action as one would expect, but definitely worth a view.

An unconvincing urban road movie that would have little to no lasting effect if it wasn't for the brilliant Christian Bale and Freddy Rodriguez. This script is nowhere near as good as it promised to be, in fact the dialogue feels grossly outdated and almost childlike.