In the depression, Chaney, a strong silent streetfighter, joins with Speed, a promoter of no-holds-barred street boxing bouts. They go to New Orleans where Speed borrows money to set up fights for Chaney, but Speed gambles away any winnings.

Hard Times occasionally gets knocked down by its slight and overly brutish narrative, but strong performances, atmospheric grit, and Walter Hill's sparse direction elevate it into a compellingly pulpy fable.