Review of Harsh Times (2005) by Radhika N — 03 Jun 2008
Raw. Bale has an affinity for extremely flawed characters whose skin he seems to inhabit with an ease that marks a superlative actor.
The movie shows the decline of a soldier with PTSD as he tries to find a job and assimilate back into life in the States. The character is full of ambiguities but belies them by speaking with confidence and certainty about things beyond his control. He is a person who thinks he has the system beat but puts himself through hell to beat it.
I like that this film deals with PTSD as a real phenomenon without ever giving it name. The people who want to hire Davis want to do so not because he was a former Ranger with experience but because the war experience changed him into a more vicious person. The movie makes a political statement without saying much about it.
This review of Harsh Times (2005) was written by Radhika N on 03 Jun 2008.
Harsh Times has generally received positive reviews.
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