01 - The Harder They Come Review

1. In general, what did you like and dislike about the film?

It's interesting how accurate is the depiction of the jamaican society, in that day and age, the way of show us how young guys like Ivan virtually didn't have options to thrive in life.

I've enjoyed the soundtrack very much, the reggae rises as a another kind of jamaican national flag to the world, something that gave an opportunity to many artists who wanted to show their work. The jamaican dialect or patois is hard to get at times, but sure i enjoyed hear the accent from every character in the movie (minus the radio presenter, that tries to do an american accent). It has a lot of funny scenes, specially those when Ivan succumbs to the thug way of life.

I think that,-despite the effort of people who weren't real actors-, the movie lacks of believable performances and situations, this is what i dislike.

2. Who is your favorite character from the film?

I think it's Elsa, not because it's the only female character in a deeply patriarchal country, environment, and film respectively, just because she doesn't want to be part of a violent way of life.

At the moment she cross Ivan, she sets herself free, and that it's really powerful to watch, all things considered.

3. Would you recommend this film to someone, why/why not?
Yes, i'd recommend it as a sample of the reggae immersive experience of Jamaica in the seventies. But as a film or work of art, it has too many flaws, so i don't recommend it this way.

4. How does this film contribute to postcolonial identity?
It depicts a reality that is unknown to the "First World", so, in that way, the film upholds an unique point of view of the jamaican culture for the first time, exploring an unseen world that provides some answers to the viewer about politics, economy, and social identity in the postcolonial country.