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Guillaume Canet, Leïla Bekhti, Slimane Khettabi, Demian Bichir, José Julián ... see more see more... , Dolores Heredia , Joaquín Cosio , Carlos Linares , Nancy Lenehan , Tim Griffin , Gabriel Chavarria , Trampas Thompson , Valorie Hubbard , Isabella Rae Thomas , Robert Anthony Peters , Richard Cabral , Isabella Balajadia , Giselle Nieto , Luis A. Colocio , Ray Moreno , Yelyna de Leon , Rolando Molina , Taide Acosta , Joe Renteria , Isidro Vallin , Magi Avila , Henry Ambriz , Miguel Alejandro Gaxiola , Jorge Gaxiola , Robert Renderos , Charles Currier , Marlon Correa , Adrian Mojica , Todd Felix , J. Eddie Martinez , Jason Medwin , Tom Schanley , Abraham Chaidez , Maggie Cheung , Tao Zhao , Yang Fudong , Eli Gabriel , Lupe Barrera , Will Cohen , Lindzey Haase , Juan Villegas , Brenda Acosta , Nivaldo Diaz , Gabby Klawitter , Merced Arcei , Guy Adams

From the director of About a Boy comes A Better Life - a touching, poignant, multi-generational story about a father's love and the lengths a parent will go to give his child the opportunities he neve... read more read more...r had. -- (C) Summit

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79% liked it

10,910 ratings

Critics

85% liked it

100 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 50 min.

Directed by: Chris Weitz

Release Date: June 24, 2011

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DVD Release Date: October 18, 2011

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Flixster Reviews (612)

  • itsjustme2004
    May 13, 2012
    itsjustme2004
    Looks at a very real problem with an excellent script that keeps your interest, plays with your emotions, and has some very real insights into a problem incomprehensible to the average American. Shows a son's developing pride for a father who's strength was hidden, even from his ... read moreson. Academy Award Best Actor nominee Demián Bichir for the part of the father....A very touching film.
  • spielberg00
    March 17, 2012
    spielberg00
    The performance given by Demián Bichir is the absolute definitive highlight of A BETTER LIFE. I wouldn't say he quite deserved to win the Oscar for Best Actor (there were better performances this past year by George Clooney and Jean Dujardin), but he most certainly deserved the n... read moreomination that he did get. Bichir may be the only actual cast member who manages to deliver a convincing and authentic role in this entire film, especially when compared to the performance of José Julián as his character's son. It is quite easy to find Galindo as a likeable character and even an agreeable one; this factor seems oddlyenhanced (rather than the opposite) by the fact that he is an illegal immigrant. Had the story been the same, except not about illegal immigrants, and Bichir replaced by another actor, the film would have been a mess.

    http://themoviefreakblog.wordpress.com/2012/03/17/review-a-better-life
  • PedroPauloA
    March 5, 2012
    PedroPauloA
    Every father wants more for his son

    Genuinely moving

    This subtle dramatic film is extremely powerful and moving. The sincere realistic tone the movie carries allows us to really understand the difficulties the characters go through and cheer for them to have a bet... read moreter life.

    Carlos Galindo (Bichir) is an immigrant gardener in Los Angeles who searches for a better life for himself and his son who faces the difficulties and dilemma of entering a gang. The movie realistically portrays the troubles of Mexican immigrants in the United States, but most importantly show a legit love story between father and son.

    This movie is wonderfully composed. Weitz uses his subtle and realistic tone to bring out a depressing yet beautiful story. Not only is the story and the style in which the movie is done brilliant. This movie has some of the most powerful performances of the year. Both Bichir and Julian are extraordinary. They develop complex characters and true chemistry, that as you follow these characters steps you hope just the best for them. The movie is composed with emotional scenes that are tear jerkers. In all honesty I felt the Academy Award made a big mistake by not giving Bichir an award.

    This movie is great, beautiful and real, don't miss it. Warning! viewers might be exposed to extreme sadness.

    Carlos Galindo: " That's why I had you. For me. For a reason to live."
  • DragonEyeMorrison
    February 20, 2012
    DragonEyeMorrison
    Corny telenovela full of one dimensional characters. Next time try to make a better movie.
  • sanjurosamurai
    February 14, 2012
    sanjurosamurai
    a touching film. part bicycle thief, part political statement, wrapped in to an engaging father and son story. bichir's performance was excellent and the plot moves along so well. a great film.
  • blkbomb
    January 27, 2012
    blkbomb
    Carlos Galindo: This truck is my only chance to grow this into something big. So we can move out of here and get you in a better school.

    "Every father wants more for his son."

    Every good parent's dream is to give their kids what they didn't have, and to give them a chance at A ... read moreBetter Life. This is exactly what Carlos wants for his 14 year old son, Luis. Carlos has been struggling as an illegal immigrant gardener and has been raising his son by himself. They live in a less than stellar neighborhood, where gangs rule the streets. As Luis gets closer to joining, his father tries harder and harder to get them out of there. He buys the truck and tools from his previous employer in an attempt to make some real money. Things don't quite work out the way they are supposed to, but the father and son are brought together through the turmoil.

    A Better Life is a great father/son relationship film. The film also defines what it means to be father. Being a father gives Carlos something to live for. Without his son, his life would be meaningless. Demian Bichir gives a really good, Oscar nominated, performance as Carlos. His performance isn't one of over the top anger or sadness, even when the events of his life should draw these emotions out of him. His performance is all on his body language, we can see the torment on his face and the sadness in his eyes. While his performance more than likely won't give him an Oscar, he definitely deserved the nomination.

    Chris Weitz is proving to be a hard to judge filmmaker. He made his debut with the teenage comedy American Pie. He eventually made the great About a Boy, and then turned around a few year later and made Twilight: New Moon. Luckily, he bounced back from that embarrassment and made this devastating, but somehow uplifting film. 

    Immigration is a hot issue right now, and you would think since it such a big issue, Weitz would fall back on it more than he does. Sure the fact that Carlos has to deal with possibly getting deported every day of his life is mentioned, but Weitz is really telling a story about a father and son, and not about immigration. He just uses the immigration backdrop to make the story all the more powerful, and it really works.

    This is a great movie that really flew under the radar this year. Hopefully Bichir's nomination will get some people to watch the film because it really deserves to be seen. 
  • fernandorafael
    December 20, 2011
    fernandorafael
    A Better Life is director Chris Weitz's (Twilight: New Moon; About a Boy) and writer Eric Eason's take on the life of illegal immigrants in Los Angeles, their work and the upbringing of their bicultural offspring. Weitz, an American with the smallest hint of Hispanic heritage (hi... read mores grandmother was film actress Lupita Tovar), should be commended for turning in a realistic portrayal of Mexican people. The film's best asset, though, is Demián Bichir, a star in Mexico and part of an established acting dynasty. His slow-burning, understated, heart wrenching performance is already generating Oscar buzz. Breakthrough actor Josà (C) Julián provides great support as his volatile son.
  • 366weirdmovies
    August 3, 2011
    366weirdmovies
    An illegal Mexican immigrant in LA hopes to buy a truck to run his own business while dodging immigration and trying to keep his son in school and away from Chicano gangs. Well-acted; at times a bit too obvious and too virtuous, but a valuable peek at a culture that doesn't make... read more it on-screen very often.
  • hobster1
    July 13, 2011
    hobster1
    An illegal immigrant in East Los Angeles struggles as a gardener while raising his son in an increasingly hostile environment. From that simple setup comes this well intentioned drama that is genuinely touching. I wouldn't have thought director Chris Weitz would be able to adjust... read more so far back after directing New Moon from The Twilight series. This is about as low key a production as that overly hyped episode was conspicuous. I have to acknowledge him for making the principled choice to direct something so intimate.

    Regrettably, the plot is not the picture's strong suit. It tackles illegal immigration with a story arc that isn't particularly original. El Norte, Maria Full of Grace, Under the Same Moon, The Visitor, and Sin Nombre are just a few of the modern movies that have all addressed the subject with a bit more creativity. It's a well worn topic of late, but it's also material ripe for tragedy. Every one of those features is exceptional. Despite the formula, A Better Life is respectable enough to be mentioned in the same breath. True, the narrative has a tendency to lag in parts, especially in the beginning. But following a life changing hardship, the story takes off. The interaction with his young son produces several poignant moments.

    The saga develops into a rather emotionally engaging account. Much of the recognition has to go to actor Demián Bichir who stars as Carlos Galindo, the father attempting to provide for his son. Already a star in his native Mexico, he is probably best known to American audiences for his recurring role as Esteban Reyes, the corrupt mayor of Tijuana, in the Showtime comedy series Weeds. His quietly affecting performance is heartfelt and sincere. It could have easily deteriorated into mawkish sentimentality. On the contrary, his portrayal seems to come form a very real place. It's a flawless depiction invested with honest emotion. I'd have to give him most of the credit for the film's power. He's outstanding.
  • fb100001581602053
    June 11, 2011
    fb100001581602053
    It's a Mexican infused version of Bicycle Thieves. What it lacks in originality and storytelling, it supplies in poignancy and an interesting turn from former Twilight director Chris Weitz who handles the themes, settings, and cultures of the film with great integrity.

View All A Better Life Reviews

Critic Reviews

Jennie Punter
July 15, 2011
Jennie Punter, Globe and Mail

Bichir delivers a powerful, nuanced performance as a stoic but complex character who treats everyone -- even those who have wronged him -- with a dignity he rarely receives. Full Review

Tom Long
July 15, 2011
Tom Long, Detroit News

The people here seem real, their world is shaky at best, and the political tension that permeates everything in this film feels palpable. Full Review

Colin Covert
July 15, 2011
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune

Bichir redeems the secondhand plot and on-the-nose dialogue. Full Review

Greg Quill
July 15, 2011
Greg Quill, Toronto Star

Personalizes the illegal immigrant experience and digs much deeper into what has become a national disgrace. Full Review

Ann Hornaday
July 15, 2011
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post

"A Better Life" might not change any minds about immigration policy, but it illuminates the conversation with context, compassion and understanding. Full Review

Carrie Rickey
July 14, 2011
Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia Inquirer

A compassionate character study of a man modeling the values of heart, hard work, self-respect, and self-reliance to his spawn. Full Review

Wesley Morris
July 14, 2011
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe

It's generic and small but manages to reel you in and surprise you with its grimness. Full Review

Bill Goodykoontz
July 8, 2011
Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic

If we can see how things will play out long before the characters do, it's still powerful and, one gets the feeling, valuable - not just as a document of the immigration struggle but as a film. Full Review

Andrea Gronvall
July 8, 2011
Andrea Gronvall, Chicago Reader

A major star in Mexico, Bichir is quietly affecting as the father, a humble striver who faces loss at every turn. Full Review

Roger Ebert
July 7, 2011
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

The film's trajectory is rather predictable, but then so was the story told by "The Bicycle Thief." But the performances are pitch perfect... Full Review

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    • Carlos Galindo: This truck is my only chance.
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A Better Life Trivia

  • Fellini directed story of Giuletta, a prostitute who dreams of a better life?  Answer »
  • His whole life has been a t.v programme, but his memory got erased and he became a cable guy. He got a better offer . . . god. He became a little crazy and began speaking threw his butt, but he got some help and became an evil count?   Answer »
  • "You make me want to be a better man." "That's maybe the best compliment of my life." "Well maybe I overshot a little, because I was aiming at just enough to keep you from walking out." These are quote from which film?  Answer »
  • In the movie "Amazing Grace" William Wilberforce kept trying to end the slave trade for many years and succeeded. He then spent the rest of his life with his wife and kids, being too old and tired to continure making the world a better place. He died in 1833 and was buried in Westminster Abbey   Answer »
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