Film.com's FREE movie of the week is "Love the Hard Way." Oscar-winner Adrien Brody and Charlotte Ayanna star in this drama about a thief who falls for a curious, beautiful young woman. As their intimacy grows, a slick cop (Pam Greer) is closing in.
It's Christmastime on the upper West Side and unemployed actor Jimmy is in trouble. He recently put money on Notre Dame with bartender/bookie Fatty, and now his five hundred-dollar bet has turned into a nine hundred-dollar debt. He turns to his girlfriend Susan for assistance, telling her that the money is for his sister Maggie. The only person who Susan knows who would part with that much money is her brother Ray, bartender at the Hi-Life Bar and Grill. Ray has loaned money to half the bartenders on the upper West Side and has always been too nice to ask for it back... until now.