Una vida mejor

the film "A Better Life" is one of the best films I seen this year and one of the favorites of all time. The film "A Better Life" is such a touching film and it will touch you if you have had a hard time just make it day to day in life. This film is about people who work hard everyday and at the end of the day they can never get ahead.This film will teach others who take their life's for granted, not to take their life's for grant because there are people in this world that want the simple things in life like parents that just want to spend time with their kids and they cannot because they have to work or do other thing.The film "A Better Life is about the people and for the people. I highly recommend this movie to others.

I like how Chris Weitz kept the focus on the characters and avoided the usual politics of the subject matter. This movie kept the audience riveted to the screen without resorting to usual polemics found in similar subject films. Personally I think this movie is closer to "El Norte" than "The Bicycle Thief", maybe a mix of the two but still authentic. Superb performances by most of the cast including Demian Bichir as Carlos Galindo, newcomer Jose Julian as Luis Galindo, Joaquin Cosio as Blasco, Bobby Soto as Luis' friend. Richard Cabral, Jason Medwin and Tom Schanleys played very believable, three dimension roles. Eric Eason and Chris Weitz did a great job on balancing keeping it real and entertaining at the same time. Carlos, a Mexican gardener in the United States illegally doing all he can trying to single handed raise a son in a vulnerable age at a vulnerable time. If you are looking for a warm and heart felt movie without the overblown melodramas then this is a most see.

Greetings from Lithuania.

"Better Life" was a really good movie. It reminded my another good movie about similar life "The Visitor". This is a really inspiring and touching movie about single fathers "journey" to make a better life for his son (or as they say, to find American dream). The way is hard, and sure not everyone can go through it. It's really rare in these days to see such a simple story on a big screen, not overdone in special effects and stuff like that.

If you like simple and quiet but powerful stories, "Better Life" is one not to be missed.

A Better Life is a pretty standard story. In fact, it's plot has some contrivances that I wish it didn't, and it doesn't feel as smooth as I wish, but for all of it's writing flaws, it still made me completely empathize for these characters. I connected with them in part because I know too much of the hardships of these kinds of people. My parents have had similar obstacles to overcome as well, and living not too far away from the area shown in this film, I know what it can be like. This is a good film, but then there's Demian Bichir.

This never once feels like acting, and it wasn't until the final scene between Bichir and his son that I realized how effective this film had been. In that final scene, I actually let out tears. For the first time, the writing didn't feel contrived, or the dialogue weak. It all came together for Bichir, and in that final scene you break down with him. It is one of the best acted scenes of the year, and one of the most effective. It isn't until that final scene that you realize how much he has lured you in to his inner feelings, and how much he has made you care. It all sounds cheesy, and many times the film is, but that final scene between father and son is the only scene from 2011 that actually made me weep like a child. Powerful performance by Bichir, and completely deserved his nomination. I also want to mention that Jose Julian is also quite effective.

2 Days back, Demián Bichir earned himself an Oscar-Nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role for 'A Better Life'. And that was it, I saw 'A Better Life' exactly 24-hours later since his nomination was announced.

Demián Bichir delivers a Masterful Performance. A performance, that is so well-done, it come across as an astonishing embodiment. He elevates this film!

'A Better Life' Synopsis: A gardener in East L.A. struggles to keep his son away from gangs and immigration agents while trying to give his son the opportunities he never had.

'A Better Life', even as a film, is worth-seeing, thanks to the the moving screenplay, written by Eric Eason. The relationship between the Father & his Son, is wonderfully handled & written. Chris Weitz Directs this Human-Drama, with bravery. Cinematography is eye-filling. Editing & Art Design, are decent.

On the whole, 'A Better Life' is well-made, but it's Demián Bichir's embodiment, that makes this film unmissable.