A Better Life (film)

Plot

Carlos Galindo is a gardener in Los Angeles working with his partner, Blasco. His son, Luis, studies at high school. Luis spends time with his girlfriend, Ruthie, who is affiliated with gang members. They pressure him to join them. On one occasion, Luis is suspended for assaulting a student.

Carlos' sister, Anita, lends $12,000 from the family's emergency fund for Carlos to buy Blasco's truck. It is later stolen by Santiago, a worker whom Carlos had hired for his gardening business. The next day, Carlos and Luis head to a South Central apartment complex, which is used as lodgings for undocumented immigrant workers. One man tells the two that Santiago works at a nightclub. Carlos and Luis head to the restaurant, which would open during the night. At the rodeo, Carlos mentions to Luis about his mother abandoning them.

Luis mentions that he dislikes Mexican music and culture. After finding Santiago at the nightclub, Carlos and Luis interrogate him in the parking lot. They learn that he has sold the truck to a black market garage and sent the money to his family in El Salvador. When Santiago pleads not guilty, Carlos defends him and Luis angrily leaves them. The next day, Carlos convinces Luis to go with him to the black market garage where the truck is.

They retrieve the truck but are stopped by the police. Carlos is arrested and incarcerated in the United States as an undocumented immigrant. Luis visits the detention center and reconciles with his father. After promising Luis that he will return, Carlos boards the deportation bus and is sent back to Mexico. Although Luis' friends are joining gangs, he rejects that life and goes to live with his aunt's family. Four months later, Carlos attempts to return illegally to the United States to be with Luis, using a coyote to guide him and other migrants through the desert, knowing that, as a returning deportee, he will face criminal charges if he is caught.

Cast

• Demián Bichir as Carlos Galindo
• José Julián as Luis Galindo
• Dolores Heredia as Anita
• Carlos Linares as Santiago
• Joaquín Cosío as Blasco Martinez
• Gabriel Chavarria as Ramon
• Chelsea Rendon as Ruthie Valdez
• Richard Cabral as Marcelo Valdez
• Rolando Molina as Jesus
• Nancy Lenehan as Mrs. Donnely
• Eddie "Piolín" Sotelo as himself
• Tom Schanley as ICE officer
• Tim Griffin as Juvie Officer

Production

The film was originally titled The Gardener. Uncommon among Hollywood productions, it is set in a Hispanic community and features an almost entirely Hispanic cast.

Weitz used the film to explore the culture and geography of Los Angeles. Father 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 the street.

Release

The film opened in limited release on June 24, 2011.

Critical reception

Critical response to the film has been positive. It has garnered "fresh" rating from Rotten Tomatoes, based on reviews, and an average rating of . The critical consensus reads: "Powered by a terrific performance from Demián Bichir, A Better Life is an immigrant story told with simplicity and an ample amount of heart." The critical aggregator Metacritic awarded the film a score of 64 out of 100, based on 30 critics, signifying "generally positive reviews".

Manohla 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 "the performances are pitch perfect" and he gave the film three and a half out of four stars.

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".

Awards

Telenovela version

Telemundo produced a telenovela adaptation, Bajo el mismo cielo, starring Gabriel Porras and María Elisa Camargo. It aired from July 28, 2015 to January 25, 2016.

References

References

1. {{mojo title. abetterlife
2. Cieply, Michael. (June 1, 2010). "Another Los Angeles in 'Gardener'". [[The New York Times]].
3. "A Better Life (2011) - Financial information".
4. "A Better Life". [[Fandango Media.
5. {{Metacritic film
6. Dargis, Manohla. (June 23, 2011). "A Better Life". The New York Times.
7. Travers, Peter. (June 23, 2011). "A Better Life".
8. Karger, Dave. (March 13, 2011). "'A Better Life': 2011's first awards movie?".
9. Ebert, Roger. (July 6, 2011). "Undocumented in L.A.". Chicago Sun-Times.
10. Brody, Richard. "A Better Life".
11. Biancolli, Amy. "A Better Life Film Review". [[Houston Chronicle]].
12. (April 26, 2014). "The 84th Academy Awards (2012) Nominees and Winners". [[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]].
13. Whipp, Glenn. (January 9, 2012). "Indie Spirits breathe life into smaller films". [[Variety (magazine).
14. (December 14, 2011). "Screen Actors Guild Awards 2012: Full list of nominees". [[CBS News]].
15. "33rd Annual Young Artist Awards". [[Young Artist Award]]s.
16. Telemundo. "Carlos Martínez".
17. Gabriel Porras. "Gracias cómplices por el gran apoyo a este humilde jardinero!!! Va con todo para ustedes!!!!!". [[Twitter]].
18. (March 25, 2015). ""Bajo el mismo cielo", la nueva novela de Telemundo". Telemundo.