Harsh Times
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| Harsh Times | |
|---|---|
 Promotional Poster |
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| Directed by | David Ayer |
| Produced by | David Ayer, Andrea Sperling |
| Written by | David Ayer |
| Starring | Christian Bale, Freddy Rodriguez, Eva Longoria |
| Music by | Graeme Revell |
| Cinematography | Steve Mason |
| Editing by | Conrad Buff |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) Pictures, Bauer Martinez Entertainment |
| Release date(s) |  November 10, 2006 |
| Running time | 120 minutes |
| Country | USA |
| Language | English |
| All Movie Guide profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
Harsh Times is an American 2006 crime film set in South Los Angeles. Christian Bale, Freddy Rodriguez, and Eva Longoria star in the film, which is directed and written by David Ayer, who wrote the Academy Award-winning Training Day, and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) Pictures and Bauer Martinez Entertainment. Ayer says that the film's characters are greatly based on the people he knew when he lived in South Central.
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[edit] Synopsis
Jim Davis (Christian Bale) is an ex-Army Ranger recently honorably discharged from the military, yet still haunted by nightmares of his former occupation. While waiting for a position in the Los Angeles Police Department which will allow him to marry his Mexican girlfriend and bring her to the USA, Jim spends his time hanging out with his best friend, Mike Alonzo (Freddy Rodriguez). Mike is feeling pressure from his longtime girlfriend, Sylvia (Eva Longoria) to either get a job or get out. But romantic relationships don't compare to the bond of friendship between Jim and Mike, and they are soon cruising the streets of South Los Angeles, returning to a deceitful life of crime, drugs, and violence.
[edit] Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Christian Bale | Jim Davis |
| Freddy Rodriguez | Mike Alonzo |
| Eva Longoria | Sylvia |
| Terry Crews | Darrell |
| Noel Guglielmi | Flaco |
| Chaka Forman | Toussant |
| Blue Mesquita | Leo |
| Michael Monks | Agent Hollenbreck |
| J.K. Simmons | Agent Richards |
| Armando Riesco | Alex |
| Emilio Rivera | Eddy |
| Tammy Trull | Marta |
[edit] DVD release
The DVD was released on November 10, 2006 by Genius Products and The Weinstein Company. The film itself was presented in anamorphic widescreen, along with English language and Spanish language Dolby Digital 5.1. Surround tracks. Special features included seven deleted scenes and a feature length audio commentary by David Ayer.
[edit] Trivia
- Premiered at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival.
- The license plate 2GAT123 which appears in this film has also been featured in many other films, including Beverly Hills Cop II, Crazy/Beautiful, Mulholland Dr., Pay it Forward, S.W.A.T., and Traffic. It also appeared in Two and a Half Men, a CBS television sitcom
- The name of Freddy Rodriquez's character, Mike Alonzo, shares a name with Denzel Washington's character, Alonzo Harris, from Training Day, also by David Ayer
- The character of Letty in Harsh Times is the same as in Training Day. And Samantha Esteban played both parts.
- The early trailers for the movie gives the audience the distinct impression that Christian Bale is playing the role of a skinhead.
