Cast
Movie Info & Details
Release Year2005
Runtime1h 55m
LanguageSpanish
CertificationNR
GenresDrama
Votes14
DirectorManuel Martín Cuenca
WritersManuel Martín Cuenca, Alejandro Hernández
TypeFeature Film
Rating5.5 out of 10
Cast10 credited
Also Known AsHard Times
About Hard Times
When the troubled son of an NGO worker refuses to take a test and announces that he is not leaving his room, his concerned mother asks one of her clients, a Cuban exile, for help in setting the boy straight. Gonzalo has decided to drop out of school, and his mother Ana isn't sure how to convince the boy that he's making a crucial mistake. Ana's client Carlos is a Cuban exile who makes his living selling cigars and artwork on the black market. When Carlos learns of Ana's dilemma, he calls on recently released convict Mikel to teach the boy how to play chess. Perhaps is young Gonzalo can master the game, he can learn to start living again. As the lessons get underway, each of these characters learns that in order to truly move on with their lives they much first break free of the bonds that prevent them from being who they really are.
Directed by Manuel Martín Cuenca, Hard Times leans on a strong ensemble — Javier Cámara, Nathalie Poza, Eman Xor Oña — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.
The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2005.
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