Harsh Times

Jim Davis, a former Army Ranger struggling with PTSD, returns to Los Angeles to marry his Mexican girlfriend Marta. He reunites with his best friend Mike Alonzo, whose girlfriend Sylvia is a driven attorney pressuring Mike to find steady work. With Mike's job prospects limited after outsourcing, tension mounts as Jim plans a life with Marta.

After failing the LAPD psychological profile, Jim and Mike get drunk and visit Jim's ex-girlfriend. A confrontation erupts when her current boyfriend arrives with friends. In the ensuing violence, Mike pulls a gun and the two men rob them of their possessions, including marijuana and a handgun.

Jim starts leaving messages on Mike's answering machine in different voices, pretending to be companies responding to his resume. The fake callbacks lift Sylvia's mood and make Mike believe opportunities are opening up. The two men then head to a paisa bar to sell the stolen gun, but they leave when a potential buyer is killed.

Mike stumbles home drunk and listens to the voicemail recordings, realizing Jim's voice was captured at the end. Sylvia throws Mike out of their apartment, increasing the strain on their relationship. Mike camps at Jim's place, deepening their bond and the risk they are taking.

Jim is shortlisted for a Department of Homeland Security position, but he cheats on a urine test and fails a polygraph question about drug use. His only other prospect is a government agent in Colombia who values his ability to get things done. Jim accepts the assignment, warned not to marry a foreigner, and told to report to FLETC.

Mike visits Sylvia with news that he has secured a real job with an old friend's company. Sylvia calms down and they share a quiet, intimate moment, signaling a fragile peace in their lives. Jim then arrives and tells her Mike will be joining him for a weekend trip to Mexico.

Against Sylvia's wishes, Mike accompanies Jim and Toussant to Mexico for a weekend. At a party there, Marta reveals she is pregnant, jolting Jim and triggering a volatile reaction. Mike urges them to leave and tries to de-escalate the situation.

Back in the moment, Jim reacts violently, threatening to punch Marta in the stomach and shoot her in the head. Mike persuades Toussant and Jim it's time to go, ending the confrontation. The trio departs with unresolved tension looming over Jim's outlook.

Jim drives home in a belligerent state as Toussant gives him an ultimatum: seek counseling or lose contact. The warning underscores the severity of Jim's unraveling.

Jim confesses to Mike that he is transporting 20 kilograms of marijuana. Mike's concern grows as the plan to move the drugs becomes more reckless.

When Mike protests, Jim pulls a gun and, after a breakdown, agrees to go through with the drug deal. One of the buyers is the same man they had robbed earlier, triggering a gunfight. Jim kills the attacker and then, despite pleas for mercy, kills the remaining buyers.

As they escape, a bystander shoots at their car, hitting Jim in the back and face. The injuries leave him paralyzed, changing the course of their lives. Jim urges Mike to end his suffering, testing the depth of their bond.

With nothing left to lose, Mike shoots Jim to end his pain after their final goodbye. He then returns to Sylvia, and they embrace as Mike breaks down, completing the tragedy between friendship, love, and loyalty.