A Better Life
Encyclopedia
A Better Life is a 2011 American drama film
directed by Chris Weitz
. The screenplay, originally known as The Gardener, was written by Eric Eason
based on a story by Roger L. Simon
.
illegal immigrant gardener, Carlos Galindo (Demián Bichir
), comes into possession of a truck that allows him to take more gardening jobs, earning a better income. But with immigration agents on every corner and vicious gangsters trying to lure his son into a life of crime, it's all a constant struggle just to survive in such an unforgiving city without being deported
.
Weitz uses A Better Life to explore the culture and geography of Los Angeles. Rev. Gregory Boyle of Homeboy Industries
, run by former gang members, helped Weitz and his crew with finding locations and making their film as authentic as possible. The language of the script was modified to reflect the actual slang used in Los Angeles, even reflecting linguistic differences from street-to-street.
.
Manola Dargis, film critic for The New York Times
, called the film "Touching and startling."
Peter Travers of Rolling Stone called the film "a haunting movie that gets under your skin."
Writing for Entertainment Weekly
, Dave Karger called A Better Life an "unfussy, yet quite powerful drama with a terrific central performance by Demián Bichir." Karger called the film an "awards contender" and wrote, "With the right reviews and commercial reception, it could go even further."
Roger Ebert, of the Chicago Sun-Times
, wrote that "the performances are pitch perfect" and he gave the film 3.5 stars out of 4.
The New Yorker
critic Richard Brody wrote: "The story unfolds without hagiography, pity, or trumped-up heroism, as the filmmaker approaches the lives of everyday people with modest compassion and imaginative sympathy. Amy Biancolli, writing in the Houston Chronicle
, said "It's straight, true and heartbreaking, a masterstroke of raw emotional minimalism".
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
directed by Chris Weitz
Chris Weitz
Christopher John "Chris" Weitz is an American producer, writer, director and actor. He is best known for his work with his brother, Paul Weitz, on the comedy films American Pie and About a Boy, as well as directing the film adaptation of the novel The Golden Compass and the film adaptation of New...
. The screenplay, originally known as The Gardener, was written by Eric Eason
Eric Eason
-Manito:His first feature film Manito premiered at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival where it won the Special Jury Prize and went on to win 16 awards on the International Festival Circuit including Best Film at the SXSW Film Festival, Best Emerging Filmmaker Award at the Tribeca Film Festival and the...
based on a story by Roger L. Simon
Roger L. Simon
Roger Lichtenberg Simon is an American novelist and screenwriter. He is currently CEO of Pajamas Media. He is the author of ten novels, including the Moses Wine detective series, and six screenplays...
.
Plot
Determined to move out of the city in order to get his teenage son, Luis (José Julián), away from gangs and into a decent school, an East L.A.East Los Angeles, California
East Los Angeles is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Los Angeles County, California, United States...
illegal immigrant gardener, Carlos Galindo (Demián Bichir
Demián Bichir
Demián Bichir Nájera is a Mexican actor. Both of his parents, Alejandro Bichir and Maricruz Nájera, and brothers Odiseo and Bruno Bichir are actors. He was married to singer Lisset Gutiérrez.-Career:...
), comes into possession of a truck that allows him to take more gardening jobs, earning a better income. But with immigration agents on every corner and vicious gangsters trying to lure his son into a life of crime, it's all a constant struggle just to survive in such an unforgiving city without being deported
Deportation
Deportation means the expulsion of a person or group of people from a place or country. Today it often refers to the expulsion of foreign nationals whereas the expulsion of nationals is called banishment, exile, or penal transportation...
.
Cast
- Demián BichirDemián BichirDemián Bichir Nájera is a Mexican actor. Both of his parents, Alejandro Bichir and Maricruz Nájera, and brothers Odiseo and Bruno Bichir are actors. He was married to singer Lisset Gutiérrez.-Career:...
as Carlos Galindo - José Julián as Luis Galindo
- Eddie "Piolín" Sotelo as Himself
- Joaquín CosioJoaquín CosíoJoaquín Cosío is an actor best known in México by his role as "Mascarita" in Matando Cabos. He has most recently played a major henchman, General Medrano, in the most recent James Bond film, Quantum of Solace and for his role in El Infierno as El Cochiloco.-Films & TV series:* A Better Life .......
as Blasco Martinez - Nancy LenehanNancy LenehanNancy Lenehan is an American actress who has appeared in film and television since the 1980s. Her most recent starring role was on the short-lived sitcom Worst Week. She also co-starred as Sandy Kelly, the matriarch in the sitcom Married to the Kellys...
as Mrs. Donnely - Gabriel Chavarria as Ramon
- Bobby Soto as Facundo
- Chelsea Rendon as Ruthie Valdez
- Kimberly Morales as Julia Blanco
- Lizbeth Leon as Lily Castillo
Background
This film is unique among Hollywood productions in that it is set in a Hispanic community and features an almost entirely Hispanic cast.Weitz uses A Better Life to explore the culture and geography of Los Angeles. Rev. Gregory Boyle of Homeboy Industries
Homeboy Industries
Homeboy Industries is a youth program founded in 1992 by Father Greg Boyle, S.J. following the work of the Christian base communities at Dolores Mission Church...
, run by former gang members, helped Weitz and his crew with finding locations and making their film as authentic as possible. The language of the script was modified to reflect the actual slang used in Los Angeles, even reflecting linguistic differences from street-to-street.
Critical reception
Critical response for "A Better Life" has been very positive. The film has garnered an 86% "fresh" rating from Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
.
Manola Dargis, film critic for The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, called the film "Touching and startling."
Peter Travers of Rolling Stone called the film "a haunting movie that gets under your skin."
Writing for Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
, Dave Karger called A Better Life an "unfussy, yet quite powerful drama with a terrific central performance by Demián Bichir." Karger called the film an "awards contender" and wrote, "With the right reviews and commercial reception, it could go even further."
Roger Ebert, of the Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
, wrote that "the performances are pitch perfect" and he gave the film 3.5 stars out of 4.
The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
critic Richard Brody wrote: "The story unfolds without hagiography, pity, or trumped-up heroism, as the filmmaker approaches the lives of everyday people with modest compassion and imaginative sympathy. Amy Biancolli, writing in the Houston Chronicle
Houston Chronicle
The Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
, said "It's straight, true and heartbreaking, a masterstroke of raw emotional minimalism".