A Better Life

2011 "Every father wants more for his son."
7.2| 1h38m| PG-13| en| More Info
Released: 24 June 2011 Released
Producted By: Summit Entertainment
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Info

A gardener in East L.A. struggles to keep his son away from gangs and immigration agents while traveling across town to perform landscaping work for the city's wealthy landowners.

Genre

Drama

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Director

Chris Weitz

Production Companies

Summit Entertainment

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A Better Life Audience Reviews

Hellen I like the storyline of this show,it attract me so much
Intcatinfo A Masterpiece!
Comwayon A Disappointing Continuation
Salubfoto It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.
Lee Eisenberg The recent news of ICE's arrest of immigrant families in Texas, and the subsequent separation of children from their parents, makes "A Better Life" all the more important. The movie shows how the immigrants just want to ensure that their children don't have to live in fear. Indeed, the people detained by ICE were fleeing violence in their native countries.Demián Bichir - in an Academy Award-nominated performance - puts on a fine performance as the desperate Carlos, a man trying to ensure that his son can live well despite the circumstances. This is the sort of movie that everyone should see, both as a look at those on society's margins and as an antidote to the sorts of movies that Hollywood usually turns out. An outstanding movie.
ironhorse_iv This movie isn't a debate for or against illegal immigration, but it's does tell the story of a illegal alien Carlos Galindo (Demian Bichir) and why he came to America. It's for a better life, hints the title. Carlos's wants to make sure his son Luis (José Julián) is given the opportunities he never had. He sees it with buying a new pick up truck, but when it got stolen. He and his son must work together to find it. The movie is very similar to 1948's Bicycle Thieves where the soul-stirring experience stories are about fathers and sons trying to improve their lives for themselves while the world is trying to limited them. Carlos is an honest, caring man who must live in the shadow of the law working as a gardener. Always trying to be careful with his life in fear of getting deported, he tries hard not to get into anything that can endanger his dreams. His son Luis, is of the age when he is easily influenced by his peers group mostly his best friend Ramon (Gabriel Chavarria) who is waiting to join a gang and forget about school in lieu of making money and living high. Luis sees this as a way out of poverty. Only by reconnecting with his son, can Carlos save him from a life of crime. The movie seems very real to the source material. The acting by Demián Bichir is one of the best, I ever witness, outstanding performance and I can see why he was nominated for a Oscar for this role. The ending will live you with puddle of tears, because how emotional draining it is. It's so sad, but beautiful. If you are a person that want to understand migrants and all around them you have to watch it and I am promise that you are going to change your perspective about. This movie will inspires discussions about immigrations. I have never really been on one side or the other on the illegal immigrant issue, but I will say if someone has extreme right beliefs, then this is not a movie for you. There is rarely any faults, I can find in this film. It can seem one-sided on topic of immigrations, but its not. Clearly if you watch the deportment scene. Some of those people are truly criminals and does not act like Carlos. They are truly dangerous. Some of them have strong reasons to be deported out of the country. Plus, it's not a movie about just Latinos. Anybody can get deported. If you watch those scenes again, you can clearly see that. Anybody who hates immigrations, must not know that immigrants made up most of the country. Most of them, illegally. Honestly, only the Native American are the only ones that are pretty much legal to the land. Still the movie doesn't only deal with that issue. It's a movie about gang life, socioeconomic conditions and the plight of the inner city as well. There was no left wing agenda in this film. It's about the relationship between a man and his son. That's all. Throw out the political issues aside for two hours and enjoy the film for the dynamic relationship between the father and son.
Terry Peck It's hard to believe that a film as good as this could gross so little money. I suppose it has to be remembered it cost almost nothing to make. And people avoid subtitled films.All the actors are believable and consciously contribute to the overall arc of the film instead of trying to put on a performance. I put this down to the efforts of the director who made sure to keep the story and the message ever in focus. But the story is so delicately and warmly told that the message never seems pushed.The business of America is business, and you can't help but ruminate about the whys of those who do so much to prevent good people subsidising their country's success, but of course, illegals are illegals.The brilliance of this film is that you forget all the politics and rights and wrongs and just want things to go well for every "white hat" illegal, and that's most of them - all the while knowing things are probably doomed.It's a melodrama, true, just like life, and wanting a better life is something so basic we can all relate to the struggle. Yet, when you have so much and these guys so little, do we relate or only think we do? Sympathy or empathy? I know I don't have a right to the latter.The alternate feelings of closeness and distance never leave you.
Oliver Ledger Quite simply put this is an absolutely amazing film. Demian Bichir is top class and fully deserves his Oscar nomination and probably deserves it more than most of the other nominees's. People are saying its a shock nomination however if you have seen the film you will understand completely why he got it. Truly beautiful and am not afraid to say it made me cry. i know this is a massive topic in the United States however absolutely anybody can and will connect with this film. its not just a tail about illegal immigrants its an incredibly powerful father and son tale.I will be tuning in to the academy awards this Sunday hoping he can win it!If anything just give the film a watch you wont be disappointed!