The Harder They Come

The Harder They Come (1972)

Runtime: 103 minutes

Directed by: Perry Henzell

Starring: Jimmy Cliff, Janet Bartley, Carl Bradshaw, Ras Daniel Hartman, Basil Keane

From: International Films

Yes, this is a cult classic, mon... although I don't love it like some do: 

This was the perfect month for me to see then talk about Jamaica's most famous movie... which happens to be their first feature length film.

Ivan Martin (Jimmy Cliff; I'll just call him Jimmy Cliff throughout as why not?) moves into the city from the country and in a rather meandering story, he cuts a hit record-the title song, which you hear rather frequently in the second half of this film-but runs into trouble as he has to deal with the typical unscrupulous record promoter so he gets involved in drug running, which goes about as well as you'd expect.

I can understand how the acting isn't always the great, or how the same can be said about the overall filmmaking. But to me a lot of the appeal is both the beautiful Jamaican scenery and the legendary reggae soundtrack, which I loved hearing, repetition issues aside. I certainly did not love Jimmy Cliff as either the hero or the anti-hero. He was just an annoying punk who was all too eager to start killing cops when the heat is turned up on him. Maybe its odd plotting and random non-sequitor moments work best if you're stoned off your ass while watching this... I prefer Jimmy Cliff the musician to Jimmy Cliff the actor and Jimmy Cliff the character.

I do not regret watching this cult classic. It was nice seeing how Jamaica is and was (visiting there would be nice but it's a total pipe dream as of now) plus some of the dialogue is in Jamaican Patois; it is thankfully subtitled as it is sort of English and yet you can only make out parts of each sentence.