A Better Life

  • 2011


MOVIE IS illegal programmatic american mexican
Close Video

74 %
85 % Certified Fresh
$ 10 Million
See Where to Watch A Better Life
Positive Reviews 76
Negative reviews 10
Average Rating 3.4/5
illegal programmatic american mexican

  • All
  • Positive
  • Negative
3.0
Its a familiar story retold in the form of another familiar story, but powerfully expressed emotions always feel fresh and vital in the moment, no mat .. Av Club
2.0
His Carlos is a silent striver who, like the heroes of The Bicycle Thief and Man Push Cart, embodies a humanity that is ultimately heartbreaking. EW
4.4
But the performances are pitch perfect, even including Gabriel Chavarria as Ramon, the man who steals the truck. Rogerebert
4.0
Thats exactly what A BETTER LIFE accomplishes; its a nuanced, sensitive, moving examination of the illegal immigrant experience in modern America. Common Sense Media
2.5
Weitz flirts with greatness but unfortunately misses the opportunity to make the material soar. Indie Wire
1.5
Despite Demian Bichirs affecting lead performance and a strong feel for Los Angeles Mexican American communities, emerges an earnest and overly progra .. Variety
3.0
The didacticism takes the shine off Weitzs accomplishment, even if the film builds up enough empathy to generate slow burning emotional impact. Time Out
3.1
A stale but scrupulously structured anecdote, A Better Life seems intended as an eye opener for the send em back American racist.
3.8
A Better Life might not change any minds about immigration policy, but it illuminates the conversation with context, compassion and understanding.
4.5
What is unusual here for an American movie, whether from the studios or indie filmmakers, is its willingness to let the movie speak for itself. The Hollywood Reporter
1.5
But unlike its multifaceted director, the film never stretches its boundaries.
3.0
An interesting exploration of class struggle which recalls classics like Bicycle Thieves but doesnt quite live up to them.
3.0
With its careful compositions and message minded dialogue, Chris Weitzs modest drama feels more earnest than real. Still, its sincerity is admirable, .. Ny Daily News
3.8
But neorealism is an inspiration, not the style.Bichir delivers a powerful, nuanced performance as a stoic but complex character who treats everyone e .. The Globe And Mail
3.0
The movies point of view is matter of fact. As long as there is a border separating regions of unbalanced opportunity, and that border can be breached .. Philly
4.4
Its deceptive simplicity makes A Better Life so emotionally profound. Philly
5.0
A touching and authentic immigrant tale that touches the heart and is One of the Best Films of 2011. Spirituality And Practice
2.0
Painfully earnest...but Bichirs performance grounds it in a reality it might otherwise have lacked. One Guys Opinion
2.5
Pitched to tug at even Jan Brewers heartstrings, A Better Life takes on the combustible topic of illegal immigration through the soft, safe focus of f .. Village Voice
2.5
In the early days of Italian neo Realism, there was this little classic called Bicycle Thieves, a movie about a father struggling to support his adori .. Rogers Movie Nation
2.0
The beauty of the film is that its appealing no matter how you stand on the immigration issue. Sover
2.5
In this soulful drama, an illegal immigrant from Mexico (Demian Bichir) borrows $12,000 to buy a used truck so he can start his own upscale gardening .. Chicago Reader
3.0
The solid efforts, by all before and behind the camera make A Better Life worthwhile.
5.0
His compassionate portrait imbues the world it illuminates with sympathy, but never pity.Nor does it turn ordinary people into glossy heroes. Usa Today
3.1
The end result is perfectly watchable piece of work that never quite becomes as searing or memorable as Weitz might have liked, yet theres little doub .. Reel Film Reviews
3.0
The acting in the film is quite good, with a particularly effective emotional scene between Carlos and Luis.In some ways this is like a European film .. Lariat
4.0
A touching story of a father struggling to provide the best future for his son, and a son torn between the values he has been taught at home and those .. Radio Times
3.0
It is sincerely and honourably made, with a lovely performance by Bichir as the long suffering Carlos, but a little more nuance would not have gone am .. Independent
3.8
You dont expect the director of the bloodsucking bore The Twilight Saga: New Moon and the epic flop The Golden Compass to deliver the raw emotional po .. Rolling Stone
3.0
These kind of inventive touches are what marks the film as something worth looking out for, and it makes us want to keep an eye on what the filmmakers .. Shadows On The Wall
3.0
On top of that, the various cliches are heightened by a slightly overblown score from Alexandre Desplat.In short, A Better Life is an emotionally enga .. View London
3.0
I wish A Better Life had moved further away from its comfort zone. Cs Monitor
3.1
Good performances and a look at lesser known corners of Los Angeles are the big assets in this drama about an illegal Mexican alien (Demian Bichir, Ca .. New York Post
2.5
But A Better Lifetoo conventional and unhip for art house embracecertainly deserves a better life beyond theatrical. Film Journal International ..
4.0
His performance elevates the film above that, and its a refreshing, if ultimately sad, depiction. Az Central
3.1
Its generic and small but manages to reel you in and surprise you with its grimness. Boston
4.5
Essentially a variation on Vittorio De Sicas The Bicycle Thief, but it has a vitality and resonance all its own. Mountain X
5.0
For the characters in these films, holding on to a job or finding a better one takes precedence over anything life can throw at them. Npr
3.8
In A Better Life, Demian Bichir delivers an inspired performance that lifts a banal drama to the next level. Star Tribune
1.5
gentle, honest, heartfelt film, but does not have much to offer beyond an earnest respect for a segment of American society that is too often derided. ..
4.5
Its a small, convincing, tightly constructed movie about an urgent, seemingly insoluble problem. Guardian
3.0
Possibly director Chris Weitz is adhering to the one for the studio, one for me rule of film making. Guardian
4.0
Touching but never mawkish and with a steely point to make, Weitz and Eason have created a snapshot of a life that many live but few others are aware .. Eye For Film
4.0
Susan Grangers review of A Better Life (Summit Entertainment) Oscar season is many months away but, hopefully, nominators and voters will remember Mex .. Susang Ranger
3.8
The simplicity of the straightforward narrative provides its own morality, and the film engages the senses and rivets attention because it is less abo .. Observer
2.5
I enjoyed watching the intimacy that arose out of crisis between these two characters, but the rest of the picture feels too familiar to be impressive .. Movies
4.0
The story unfolds without hagiography, pity, or trumped up heroism, as the filmmaker approaches the lives of everyday people with modest compassion an .. New Yorker
3.0
A Better Life is almost a modern version of 1948s Bicycle Thieves as Mexican gardener Carlos (Demian Bichir) sweats in the grounds of Los Angeles luxu .. Express
3.5
This is a gentle, honest, heartfelt film, but the screenplay, by Eric Eason and Roger L. Simon, does not have much to offer beyond an earnest respect .. Flickfilosopher
3.0
Spider Man: Far From Home release date, cast, trailer, and everything else you need to know Feature Your first look at the Spider Man: Far From Home p .. Total Film
3.0
The people here seem real, their world is shaky at best, and the political tension that permeates everything in this film feels palpable. Detroit News
3.8
Its a welcome piece of humanity in a film that could be horribly preachy, but its also almost overdone.
3.1
But mostly this is a film made up of earnest concern and good intentions and thats never a substitute for real drama and strong convictions. Nj
2.5
Ultimately, A Better Life pitters out near the end and falls right back into the cliches it suffered from in the beginning. 7M Pictures
3.0
A genuinely moving tale of a father and son banding together in a hostile world. Oregon Live
2.0
Weitzs film while certainly not always subtle ultimately emerges triumphant and genuinely touching because of its graceful sincerity. Film School Rejects
4.0
Its a solid father son bonding experience and one where we grow to like and relate to the characters and come to understand the struggles of the citys .. Mirror
3.8
It deserves to be seen and Im sure that we will be seeing Bichir again. Three Movie Buffs
4.0
At times this pared down manner lends it the vibe and feel of a television movie, but the heartfelt performances and compelling story make A Better Li .. Digital Spy
3.0
What sounds like a typical ethnic melodrama becomes something special in A Better Life, one of the finest films of 2011, so far. It reminds me of Wint .. Tamp A Bay
3.1
Instead, A Better Life relies on so many predictable plot points that it treats its story as an inevitability rather than a specific cautionary tale. Red Eye Chicago
3.1
Notwithstanding its modest scope, A Better Life richly documents the life of an invisible man. Stl Today
4.0
Bichir gives a performance of hope and grace, tinged with great sadness. Hollywood And Fine
4.5
Carlos Galindo personifies the American Dream as it actually is rather than how we would like it to be.This is one of the best films of the year. The Filmy Ap
4.4
Theres an inherent political angle here, yet Weitz doesnt really play the political card at all.
3.8
The ease with which this boy could slide into gang life makes the fathers willingness to risk everything for a safer home the core of A Better Lifes q .. Js Online
3.0
Unfortunately its unsmiling earnestness and lack of dramatic drive may leave many viewers disengaged. Sky
4.4
A Better Life isnt an instant classic, but it tells its story with a simplicity and compassion that other urban dramas would be wise to emulate. Chron
4.4
Its a character study of epic proportions that inhabits a deeply moving story that may seem familiar but not at all accustomed. Awards Circuit
4.0
A movingly simple and simply moving father son drama set in downtown LA, refreshingly free of pretentious narrative pyrotechnics. Have a hankie up you .. Film 4
3.5
Anyone looking for a bit of adult drama on the big screen in the midst of summers comic book heroes should consider A Better Life. Jam! Movies
3.0
A Better Life is steeped in decency.But how does decency survive in an indecent world Tony Mack
3.1
By Katherine Monk The American dream does not possess a passport.Its a shape shifting entity that transcends all brands of boundary whether they be ge .. National Post
2.5
White guilt drives this misguided retooling of The Bicycle Thief... Boston Phoenix
2.0
And there still museums with pay what you wish admission, if not every day, then on certain days weekly or monthly.You just have to know who offers wh .. New York Time Out
4.5
This film is simple and fulfilling, even if it doesnt end on the highest of notes (or does it). Battleship Pretension
1.6
One keeps waiting the film to reveal something surprising, but it never does, coming off as a made for television drama. Movie Martyr
4.5
Bichir delivers a note perfect performance of determination, defeat and pride. Film.com
3.0
Not as insightful as it couldve been but something to chew on for those who like their social commentary a touch on the light and fluffy side. Little White Lies
3.0
...a little more sensibility applied to its sensitivity could have brought it to a much better place. MSN Movies
3.5
Weitzs touch with the subject is only slightly lighter than that of the newly established norm, but the film benefits from its grounding in a nuanced .. Movie Line
3.0
The stakes are high in A Better Life and Bichir matches the films tormented tone with a portrayal of a man overcome by both fear and faith. Sa Current
3.0
A Better Lifes sense of place and eye for detail are strong, but the too smooth style and rushed dramatics are at odds with the hardscrabble existence .. Reel Times: Reflections on ..
3.5
When the expected riches fail to materialize and grim reality sets in, families fall apart. James Wegg Review
3.0
Director Chris Weitz neatly avoids sanctimony by centering the engrossing story on a father son relationship, letting the audience make up its own min .. Dallas News
3.0
A well acted and nicely detailed if somewhat familiarly plotted immigrant drama, Chris Weitzs A Better Life shines a light on the razors edge of pover .. Shared Darkness
4.5
SDCC 2018 is in the books and Hal Rudnick was on the on the floor in San Diego checking out the best cosplay, exclusive sights, and more at Comic Con! .. Screen Junkies
3.0
Modest as A Better Life may be in scope, it commits wholeheartedly to achieving the goal of socially conscious cinema: to make visible the previously .. Scotsman
1.6
Each sequence plays out in mind numbingly cliched fashion: father son lectures, chin up resilience especially the final shot and a stern message about .. Film and Felt
4.4
Personalizes the illegal immigrant experience and digs much deeper into what has become a national disgrace. Toronto Star
5.0
A week and a half later, I still havent stopped thinking about it. It is the summer, anti blockbuster movie I am recommending to everyone. Sarahs Back Stage Pass
3.0
A Better Life is a half step removed from the Hallmark Hall of Fame.
4.5
At its best when Carlos and Luis are following the trail of the car thief. Ebert Presents
3.0
A Better Life can be remembered as a humble but richly nuanced character study full of compassion. Real.com



See Where to Watch A Better Life