Review of Harsh Times (2005) by Spangle — 24 Apr 2016

Harsh Times is an interesting film that I would say is decisively average. On one hand, it is a brilliant character study into a truly damaged man's mind and the horrific things he experienced. In many ways, this and The Deer Hunter and truly the gold standard of making me feel like I have PTSD myself.

Christian Bale is fantastic in capturing this broken man's essence and the problems facing him. Yet, on the flip side, the film seems more content to show its two main characters just messing around and drinking while furthering your hatred for them.

Harsh Times is clearly not a believer in creating protagonists that the viewer likes. Though they may be flawed, protagonists should still be somewhat sympathetic. Here, you just want him to get his just desserts.

This element really holds back the film as well as the pure joylessness. Obviously a dark film, I have no problem with dark films but here, even when they party they seem to not enjoy themselves. This film is pitch dark.

Overall, Harsh Times is an entertaining crime drama/psychological drama, but fails to create sympathetic leads and sputters out of control with its compelling premise.