The Harder They Come (1972)
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The Harder They Come Movie Review
The Harder They Come is a 1972 Jamaican crime film directed by Perry Henzell and starring Jimmy Cliff. It’s a very flawed, but undeniably memorable genre flick.
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“Him think hero can die till the last reel“
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Wishing to become a successful Reggae singer, a young Jamaican man finds himself tied to corrupt record producers and drug pushers. This is a cult movie that was a huge hit in Jamaica and it helped popularize the genre of reggae music elsewhere. It’s a film that showcases just how rich the culture of this country is, much richer than it has any right to be given its rather small population size.
I quite like the reggae genre, which is why this soundtrack really appealed to me. The titular number is excellent and quite memorable, but it is You Can Get It If You Really Want that cemented itself as the best and most iconic number from this soundtrack. It’s very catchy and just a whole lot of fun.
The movie is at its best when it’s focusing on depicting the country’s culture, from the music to the lush scenery to the lively lifestyles of its citizens. There is a lot of charm present in the scenes that emphasize the above elements with the highlight being the beginning that was very cozy and endearing.
Unfortunately, The Harder They Come introduced a crime storyline in the second half that was all but great. This is where the movie took a significant downward turn in quality with the storytelling becoming messy and actually rather difficult to believe. The protagonist turning to the life of crime so quickly was incoherent and implausible.
Speaking of Ivan, he is quite unlikable, which was an issue for a film that needed a sympathetic hero for you to root for. Jimmy Cliff is very charismatic in the role, but his acting talents are nothing to write home about. The same goes for the other performers, who are all just serviceable.
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The movie’s Hollywood blaxploitation roots are evident in that second half, but I wish that they had the guts to not copy American movies and just focus on their own cultural output. The cinematography and score are great, but the writing and directing left a lot to be desired. The beginning and ending are striking, but most of the second half was too messy in script, tone and characterization.
The Harder They Come is a very entertaining Jamaican crime movie that is quite polarizing overall. Whenever the film focused on the culture of the country, it was lovely. Its cinematography is terrific and the beginning is quite charming. The reggae soundtrack is phenomenal throughout. The problem here lies in the second half that saw messy storytelling and characterization. It was disappointing to witness the filmmakers copying the Hollywood blaxploitation formula in that section instead of focusing on the previously established authentic tone and style.
My Rating – 3.5
This is the 12th film in my American Cinema Marathon where I will watch one film from each American country every day. Next up is 🇧🇸.
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