Harsh Times

Harsh Times marks the directorial debut of David Ayer, the screenwriter of flicks like Training Day and Dark Blue, and it’s obvious right from the get-go that Ayer is sticking to the sort of territory that he’s the most comfortable with. The story revolves around Jim (Christian Bale) and Mike (Freddy Rodriguez), two buddies who spend their days cruising the streets of L.A. on the lookout for trouble. Jim is a war veteran who’s suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, while Mike wants to straighten up and fly right – if only to prevent his longtime girlfriend (played by Eva Longoria) from walking out on him. Ayer emphasizes an appropriately gritty sense of style, refusing to shy away from some of the more unpleasant aspects of Jim and Mike’s tumultuous lives. And though Rodriguez and Bale have an equal amount of screen time, there’s absolutely no denying that Bale is the central attraction here. The actor delivers one of his best performances, imbuing Jim with a nervous energy and volatility that’s simply breathtaking. Even through some of the movie’s occasional lulls, it’s virtually impossible not to be entertained by Bale’s electrifying and absolutely compelling performance. Unfortunately, Ayer doesn’t quite know when to quit, and as a result Harsh Times goes on for a good half hour longer than it needs to. The engaging vibe of the first half is replaced with something far more sinister towards the end, and though it seems logical that these characters would wind up where they do, the film does become somewhat less engaging because of it. Still, there’s no doubt that Harsh Times – as a first effort – comes off as uncommonly well, primarily thanks to Bale’s pitch-perfect acting.

**1/2 out of ****