Harsh Times is the story of a Gulf War veteran suffering from traumatic experiences in the war, trying to settle down back at home. The acting is solid and the story runs at a steady pace, until the end, when the story speeds up and attempts a more suspenseful turn. Fans of Training Day will certainly enjoy this movie, as there are many similarities. Parents should know that there is violence, sexual references, drug use, and F-words to a point where you no longer notice it. Violence includes bloody warfare, bloody shootouts, brutal fist fights, a man getting stabbed in the neck, another getting shot in the back with a shotgun, a man being forced to kill his friend, and a man threatening to kill his pregnant wife. There are few good characters, and they are abused by everyone else. The two main characters cheat their way into work, steal drugs, run drugs across the U.S./Mexican border, smoke weed, meth, and cigarettes, drink and drive, abuse their spouses, and kill people. There are an uncountable number of profanities (296 F-words) and many authority figures are corrupt. As a last note, Parents should think twice before letting young kids watch this movie.
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Harsh Times
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Is it age appropriate?
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Not age appropriate for kids under 17, age appropriate for kids over 17; suggested age 17. -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Complex, mature story of a Gulf War vet in crisis.
Why We Rated This 
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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Sex:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
About Harsh Times
Parents need to know that this movie isn't for kids in any way, shape, or form. Full of bloody violence, drug use, lawlessness, and physical abuse, it follows the experiences of a traumatized Afghanistan war veteran and draws connections between what happened to him during combat and his behavior back home in Los Angeles. Weapons include guns of all kind, knives, and grenades; the brutal violence results in gaping wounds and lots of blood. Characters smoke cigarettes and do drugs (meth, coke, pot), and men treat women badly (lying to them as well as taunting and abusing them). Language is incessant -- there are at least 200 uses of "f--k," plus assorted other profanity.
Read our full review by Cynthia Fuchs
Families Can Talk About
- Families can talk about the connections between Jim's combat experience and his frustrations back home. How are they linked? How does his behavior reflect what happened to him overseas? While he's admired by his friends for his "macho" behavior, how does the movie also show that he's troubled? What does Marta represent for Jim? How would you compare the romances between Jim and Marta and Mike and Sylvia? Which of the characters represent security, and which represent chaos?
Our Members Say
Most Recent Reviews
- I rate this title on for age 15 and give itMy concerns are:
- Inappropriate language
- Negative role models
War Veteran Suffers From GWS in L.A.
- I rate this title on for age 17 and give it
God have mercy on this film's soul.
100% bad. This movie had no entertainment value at all. I believe there was a point the creator of the the film had tried to get across. I'm just not sure what it was. The acting was awful, but it may be possible it was due to the script they read from. Do not waist your time at all with this DVD, I beg you!
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Ratings at a Glance
| 100% | of parents don't feel there are good role models |
| 100% | of parents say it has language their kids can't use |
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