Movies like Harsh Times

If you like "Harsh Times" you are looking for tense, bleak and intense movies about / with drug, violence, corruption, addiction, transformation, gangster and depression themes of Action, Crime and Drama genre shot in USA.
Find your next favorite and similar movies in two steps: 1. Identify all themes of interest from this film (block below). 2. Look for them in the presented list.
Harsh Times (2005)
 6.8
 68K
Harsh Times (2005)
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 116 min.
Story: Jim Davis is an ex-Army Ranger who finds himself slipping back into his old life of petty crime after a job offer from the LAPD evaporates. His best friend is pressured by his girlfriend Sylvia to find a job, but Jim is more interested in hanging out and making cash from small heists, while trying to get a law enforcement job so he can marry his Mexican girlfriend.
Style: tense, bleak, intense, hood, serious, suspense, cult classic, independent film, realistic, exciting ...
Plot: drug, violence, corruption, addiction, transformation, gangster, depression, redemption, culture clash, street gang, gang, weed, hip hop, mental illness, police corruption, lapd, ghetto, urban, friend, profanity, unemployment, anger, mafia, danger, humiliation ...
Time: year 2005, 21st century, contemporary
Place: los angeles, mexico, colombia, usa, latin america, middle east, new jersey
Keyword: gangsters, mexican, reading, watching a movie, latin

Movie in categories

drug movies
4224
violence movies
15772
mexico movies
1175
corruption movies
5582
tense movies
16020
bleak movies
7400
addiction movies
1570

Most similar movies to Harsh Times

The list contains related movies ordered by similarity. Recommendation engine sorted out suspenseful, serious, realistic and neo noir films with plots about violence, murder, blood, pistol, shot to death, blood splatter and gangster mostly in Crime, Drama and Thriller genres. Some movies like Harsh Times: Training Day (2001), End of Watch (2012), Out of the Furnace (2013), Brooklyn's Finest (2009), Dead Presidents (1995). The matching attributes are highlighted in bold.
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 7.7
 470K
Training Day (2001)
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 122 min.
Story: On his first day on the job as a narcotics officer, a rookie cop works with a rogue detective who isn't what he appears.
Style: neo noir, realistic, tense, harsh, suspense ...
Audience: manly, boys' night, adult
Plot: police corruption, gang, corrupt cop, ghetto, gunfight, drug dealer, police, african american, rookie, mentor, dirty cop, drug ...
Time: year 2001, 2000s, 21st century
Place: los angeles, california, usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
83%
 7.6
 267K
End of Watch (2012)
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 109 min.
Story: Two young officers are marked for death after confiscating a small cache of money and firearms from the members of a notorious cartel during a routine traffic stop.
Style: tense, emotional, suspense, independent film, realistic ...
Audience: boys' night, adult
Plot: latinos, gang member, cop, police, shooting, street gang, friendship, urban ghetto, police investigation, organized crime, police officer, found footage ...
Time: year 2012, 2010s, year 2011, 21st century
Place: los angeles, california, south central los angeles, usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
83%
Out of the Furnace (2013)
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 116 min.
Story: Two brothers live in the economically-depressed Rust Belt, when a cruel twist of fate lands one in prison. His brother is then lured into one of the most violent crime rings in the Northeast.
Style: suspenseful, bleak, realistic, neo noir, harsh ...
Audience: boys' night, girls' night, family friendly
Plot: revenge, drug dealer, small town, vigilante, brothers, disappearance, character study, ex convict, vigilantism, going straight, mysterious character, loss of sibling ...
Time: year 2013, 80s, 20th century, 2010s, 2000s ...
Place: usa, new jersey, pittsburgh, pennsylvania, indiana ...
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
Brooklyn's Finest (2009)
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 132 min.
Story: Enforcing the law within the notoriously rough Brownsville section of the city and especially within the Van Dyke housing projects is the NYPD's sixty-fifth precinct. Three police officers struggle with the sometimes fine line between right and ...
Style: tense, realistic, suspense, neo noir, hood ...
Audience: boys' night, adult
Plot: corrupt cop, police corruption, police, corruption, organized crime, rookie, nypd, dirty cop, betrayal, swat team, robbery, murder ...
Time: year 2010, year 2009, 21st century
Place: new york, brooklyn new york city, usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
Movie in collections
Dead Presidents (1995)
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller, War
Country: USA
Duration: 119 min.
Story: Depicts a heist of old bills, retired from circulation and destined by the government to be "money to burn". However, more broadly, it addresses the issues of Black Americans' involvement in the Vietnam War and their subsequent ...
Style: realistic, suspense, disturbing, intense, neo noir ...
Audience: teens
Plot: vietnam war, heist, robbery, african american, violence, ghetto, redemption, gangster, caper, blaxploitation, black, brutality ...
Time: 60s, 20th century, 70s
Place: new york, bronx new york city, vietnam, usa, asia
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
The Tax Collector (2020)
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 95 min.
Story: David Cuevas is a family man who works as a gangland tax collector for high ranking Los Angeles gang members. He makes collections across the city with his partner Creeper making sure people pay up or will see retaliation. An old threat returns to ...
Style: ambiguous ending, tense, suspenseful, exciting, bleak ...
Plot: sadism, drug smuggler, tax collector, hitman, family relations, female psychopath, violence, drug dealer, danger, drug, taxes, male objectification ...
Time: 2010s, 2020s
Place: los angeles, usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
 6.7
 30K
Colors (1988)
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, Romance, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 120 min.
Story: A confident young cop is shown the ropes by a veteran partner in the dangerous gang-controlled barrios of Los Angeles, where the gang culture is enforced by the colors the members wear.
Style: realistic, hood, psychological, serious, exciting ...
Plot: police, gangster, gang, ghetto, hip hop, buddy cop, gunfight, chase, mafia, cop, urban, gang war ...
Time: 80s, 20th century
Place: california, los angeles, usa, venice beach california, south central los angeles
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk (2016)
Genre: Action, Drama, Sport, Thriller, War
Country: UK, China, USA, Taiwan
Duration: 113 min.
Story: 19-year-old Billy Lynn is brought home for a victory tour after a harrowing Iraq battle. Through flashbacks the film shows what really happened to his squad - contrasting the realities of war with America's perceptions.
Style: tense, suspenseful, thought provoking, bleak, sad ...
Plot: post traumatic stress disorder, american football, iraq war, flashback, thanksgiving, cheerleader, military, soldier, mission, war veteran, patriotism, hostile takeover ...
Time: year 2016, year 1937, year 2004, 2000s, 21st century
Place: iraq, middle east, texas, los angeles, china ...
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
Movie in collections
 5.7
 66K
Sabotage (2014)
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 109 min.
Story: In "Sabotage", Arnold Schwarzenegger leads an elite DEA task force that takes on the world's deadliest drug cartels. When the team successfully executes a high-stakes raid on a cartel safe house, they think their work is done - until, ...
Style: exciting, intense, stylized, suspense, brutal ...
Audience: boys' night
Plot: police investigation, drug cartel, vengeance, crime scene, revenge, death of friend, revenge killing, tough law enforcer, danger, dishonesty, drug, violent ...
Time: year 2014, 21st century
Place: mexico, atlanta georgia, georgia, usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
33%
 6.8
 120K
Street Kings (2008)
Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 109 min.
Story: Tom Ludlow is a disillusioned L.A. Police Officer, rarely playing by the rules and haunted by the death of his wife. When evidence implicates him in the execution of a fellow officer, he is forced to go up against the cop culture he's been a ...
Style: suspense, neo noir, detective, hood, harsh ...
Audience: boys' night
Plot: police corruption, dirty cop, police, corruption, gunfight, violence, police investigation, ghetto, twists and turns, gangster, cop, vigilantism ...
Time: year 2008, 2000s, 21st century
Place: los angeles, usa, california
⇓ similarity ⇓
32%
 6.0
 81K
Shaft (2000)
Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller
Country: Germany, USA
Duration: 99 min.
Story: New York police detective John Shaft arrests Walter Wade Jr. for a racially motivated slaying. But the only eyewitness disappears, and Wade jumps bail for Switzerland. Two years later Wade returns to face trial, confident his money and influence ...
Style: stylized, suspense, intense, hood, realistic ...
Audience: manly, boys' night, adult
Plot: murder, blaxploitation, racism, police officer, gunfight, corruption, police investigation, police corruption, drug lord, urban, tough law enforcer, violence ...
Time: year 2000, y2k, 90s, 20th century
Place: new york, usa, manhattan new york city, switzerland
⇓ similarity ⇓
32%
 6.6
 39K
New Jack City (1991)
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 97 min.
Story: A gangster, Nino, is in the Cash Money Brothers, making a million dollars every week selling crack. A cop, Scotty, discovers that the only way to infiltrate the gang is to become a dealer himself.
Style: hood, stylized, suspense, intense, harsh ...
Audience: boys' night
Plot: organized crime, gang war, ghetto, gangster, drug, hip hop, mafia, gang, chase, betrayal, urban, addiction ...
Time: 80s, 20th century, 90s
Place: harlem, new york, usa, america, turkey ...
⇓ similarity ⇓
32%
Menace II Society (1993)
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 97 min.
Story: Menace II Society is a coming of age tale detailing the summer after its protagonist Caine (Tyrin Turner) graduates from high school. This is Caine's story, which details real life in today's tough inner city.
Style: bleak, realistic, stylized, tense, hood ...
Audience: teens, teen drama, adult
Plot: hip hop, ghetto, african american, urban ghetto life, murder, police brutality, coming of age, street gang, friendship, organized crime, gangsta, gunfight ...
Time: 90s, year 1993, 20th century, 70s
Place: california, los angeles, usa, south central los angeles, north america
⇓ similarity ⇓
31%
 6.6
 24K
Dark Blue (2002)
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA, UK, Germany
Duration: 118 min.
Story: Set during the Rodney King riots, a robbery homicide investigation triggers a series of events that will cause a corrupt LAPD officer to question his tactics.
Style: neo noir, tense, detective, harsh, intense ...
Audience: boys' night
Plot: police corruption, police investigation, police brutality, cop, police, corruption, investigation, police officer, rookie, robbery, partner, fighting the system ...
Time: 20th century, y2k, 90s, year 1992
Place: los angeles, california, usa, southern california
⇓ similarity ⇓
31%
 6.3
 77K
Triple 9 (2016)
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 115 min.
Story: A gang of criminals and corrupt cops plan the murder of a police officer in order to pull off their biggest heist yet across town.
Style: suspense, suspenseful, tense, stylized, intense ...
Plot: heist, police corruption, murder, bank robbery, dirty cop, corrupt cop, mafia, violence, corruption, betrayal, strip club, gangster ...
Time: year 2015, year 2016, 2010s, 21st century
Place: atlanta georgia, usa, tel aviv israel
⇓ similarity ⇓
31%
 6.7
 222K
Gangster Squad (2013)
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 113 min.
Story: Los Angeles, 1949. Ruthless, Brooklyn-born mob king Mickey Cohen runs the show in this town, reaping the ill-gotten gains from the drugs, the guns, the prostitutes and — if he has his way — every wire bet placed west of Chicago. And he does it ...
Style: rough, exciting, stylized, serious, suspenseful ...
Audience: boys' night, chick flick, manly, teens
Plot: mob boss, organized crime, mafia, gangster, partners against crime, law enforcement, corruption, revenge, police brutality, squad, power struggle, love triangle ...
Time: 1940s, year 2013, 2010s, 20th century, year 1949 ...
Place: los angeles, california, israel, usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
30%
The French Connection (1971)
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 104 min.
Story: Tough narcotics detective 'Popeye' Doyle is in hot pursuit of a suave French drug dealer who may be the key to a huge heroin-smuggling operation.
Style: detective, neo noir, atmospheric, tense, realistic ...
Audience: boys' night
Plot: heroin, gangster, drug dealer, organized crime, car chase, investigation, chase, smuggling, drug lord, drug smuggling, police, drug ...
Time: 70s, year 1971, 20th century
Place: new york, new jersey, israel, brooklyn new york city, washington d.c. ...
⇓ similarity ⇓
30%
We Own the Night (2007)
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 117 min.
Story: A New York nightclub manager tries to save his brother and father from Russian mafia hitmen.
Style: suspense, harsh, stylized, captivating, serious ...
Audience: boys' night
Plot: organized crime, mafia, gangster, police, nightclub, gang, cop, brothers, hitman, multiple storylines, law enforcement, heroin ...
Time: year 2007, 20th century, year 1988, 80s
Place: new york, brooklyn new york city, usa, manhattan new york city
⇓ similarity ⇓
30%
Movie in collections
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4547
weed movies
689
suspense movies
20963
hip hop movies
1280
 7.2
 25K
State of Grace (1990)
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, Romance, Thriller
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 134 min.
Story: Terry Noonan returns home to New York's Hells Kitchen after a ten year absence. He soon hooks up with childhood pal Jackie who is involved in the Irish mob run by his brother Frankie. Terry also rekindles an old flame with Jackie's sister ...
Style: neo noir, suspense, tense, intense, atmospheric ...
Audience: boys' night
Plot: mafia, organized crime, gangster, gang, irish gangster, homecoming, undercover, friendship, gunfight, st. patrick's day, irish mob, profanity ...
Time: 80s, 90s, 20th century
Place: new york, ireland, manhattan new york city, usa, grand central station manhattan new york city
⇓ similarity ⇓
29%
 7.9
 231K
Carlito's Way (1993)
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 144 min.
Story: A Puerto-Rican ex-con, just released from prison, pledges to stay away from drugs and violence despite the pressure around him and lead on to a better life outside of NYC.
Style: neo noir, suspense, suspenseful, tense, melancholic ...
Audience: boys' night
Plot: organized crime, gangster, mafia, nightclub, tragic hero, drug dealing, mobster, drug, gunfight, violence, prison, drug lord ...
Time: 90s, 70s, 20th century, year 1993, year 1975
Place: new york, usa, grand central station manhattan new york city, harlem, manhattan new york city
⇓ similarity ⇓
29%
 6.6
 59K
Black Rain (1989)
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA, Japan
Duration: 125 min.
Story: Two New York cops get involved in a gang war between members of the Yakuza, the Japanese Mafia. They arrest one of their killers and are ordered to escort him back to Japan. In Japan, however, he manages to escape. As they try to track him down, ...
Style: neo noir, detective, exciting, suspense, tense ...
Audience: boys' night
Plot: yakuza, organized crime, police, culture clash, gunfight, chase, gang war, motorcycle, fish out of water, police investigation, japanese mafia, buddy cop ...
Time: 80s, 20th century, year 1989
Place: japan, new york, osaka japan, los angeles, asia ...
⇓ similarity ⇓
29%
Never Die Alone (2004)
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 88 min.
Story: A drug kingpin's return home touches off a turf war.
Style: hood, tense, serious, rough, suspenseful ...
Audience: boys' night
Plot: gangster, manhunt, addiction, ghetto, redemption, murder, interracial relations, journalism, criminal heroes, rise and fall, dishonesty, life is a bitch ...
Time: year 2004, 2000s
Place: usa, detroit, los angeles, new york
⇓ similarity ⇓
28%
 6.4
 10K
Gang Related (1997)
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, Romance, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 116 min.
Story: Two corrupt cops have a successful, seemingly perfect money making scheme- they sell drugs that they seize from dealers, kill the dealers, and blame the crimes on street gangs. Their scheme is going along smoothly until they kill an undercover DEA ...
Style: hood, detective, neo noir, realistic, serious ...
Audience: boys' night
Plot: hip hop, gangster, police corruption, dirty cop, drug, violence, urban, black, brutality, murder, lawyer, corruption ...
Time: year 1997, 90s
Place: california, los angeles, usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
28%
Movie in collections
 8.3
 714K
Heat (1995)
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 170 min.
Story: Obsessive master thief, Neil McCauley leads a top-notch crew on various daring heists throughout Los Angeles while determined detective, Vincent Hanna pursues him without rest. Each man recognizes and respects the ability and the dedication of the ...
Style: neo noir, tense, detective, suspense, suspenseful ...
Audience: manly, boys' night, adult
Plot: robbery, heist, gunfight, bank robbery, chase, cop, master criminal, police detective, gangster, police, obsession, bank ...
Time: 90s, 20th century, year 1995
Place: los angeles, california, usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
28%
Killing Them Softly (2012)
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 97 min.
Story: Jackie Cogan is an enforcer hired to restore order after three dumb guys rob a Mob protected card game, causing the local criminal economy to collapse.
Style: neo noir, suspenseful, intense, tense, bleak ...
Audience: teens, boys' night, adult
Plot: robbery, gambling, gangster, organized crime, hitman, brutality, assassin, mafia, violence, murder, crime gone awry, gang ...
Time: year 2012, 2010s, year 2008, 2000s, 21st century
Place: new orleans, louisiana, usa, orlando florida, florida
⇓ similarity ⇓
28%
 6.6
 19K
Judgment Night (1993)
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: Japan, USA
Duration: 110 min.
Story: While racing to a boxing match, Frank, Mike, John and Rey get more than they bargained for. A wrong turn lands them directly in the path of Fallon, a vicious, wise-cracking drug lord. After accidentally witnessing Fallon murder a disloyal henchman, ...
Style: suspense, suspenseful, exciting, intense, harsh ...
Audience: boys' night
Plot: murder, chase, gangster, hip hop, police investigation, on the run, ghetto, friendship, chases and races, crime gone awry, buddies, law enforcement ...
Time: 90s, year 1993
Place: chicago, seattle, cuba
⇓ similarity ⇓
28%
 7.1
 145K
Payback (1999)
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 100 min.
Story: With friends like these, who needs enemies? That's the question bad guy Porter is left asking after his wife and partner steal his heist money and leave him for dead -- or so they think. Five months and an endless reservoir of bitterness later, ...
Style: neo noir, suspense, black comedy, exciting, suspenseful ...
Audience: boys' night, adult
Plot: vengeance, money, organized crime, revenge, betrayal, anti hero, mafia, heist, greed, robbery, prostitute, violence ...
Time: future, 70s, 20th century
Place: chicago, usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
28%
 7.0
 14K
Paid in Full (2002)
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 97 min.
Story: Ace is an impressionable young man working for a dry cleaning business. His friend, drug dealer Mitch goes to prison. In an unrelated incident, he finds some cocaine in a pants pocket. Soon, Ace finds himself dealing cocaine for Lulu. Via lucky ...
Style: hood, tense, rough, realistic, serious ...
Audience: boys' night
Plot: urban ghetto life, rapper, organized crime, ghetto, urban, drug dealing, drug, gangster, drug lord, black, rise and fall, street life ...
Time: 80s, year 2002, 20th century, year 1986
Place: harlem, new york, usa, manhattan new york city
⇓ similarity ⇓
28%
 6.0
 49K
A Man Apart (2003)
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA, Germany
Duration: 109 min.
Story: When Vetter's wife is killed in a botched hit organized by Diablo, he seeks revenge against those responsible. But in the process, Vetter and Hicks have to fight their way up the chain to get to Diablo but it's easier said than done when ...
Style: suspense, harsh, emotional, serious, suspenseful ...
Audience: boys' night
Plot: vengeance, vigilantism, drug cartel, vigilante, drug, lone hero, justice, gang, gangster, violence, corruption, brutality ...
Time: year 2003, 21st century
Place: mexico, los angeles, usa, california, latin america ...
⇓ similarity ⇓
28%
Pride and Glory (2008)
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA, Germany
Duration: 130 min.
Story: A saga centered on a multi-generational family of New York City Police officers. The family's moral codes are tested when Ray Tierney, investigates a case that reveals an incendiary police corruption scandal involving his own brother-in-law. ...
Style: suspense, tense, intense, detective, serious ...
Audience: boys' night, adult
Plot: police, police corruption, police investigation, organized crime, murder, corruption, investigation, conspiracy, betrayal, cop, moral dilemma, family relations ...
Time: year 2008, 21st century
Place: new york, usa, washington d.c., bronx new york city, manhattan new york city ...
⇓ similarity ⇓
28%
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