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Perfect cast and a good story

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

After reading mixed reviews on IMDB, I decided to give the movie a try. It was well worth it - the film has virtually everything I look for, in film, and the only reason I wouldn't rate it higher is because of my subjective feelings for other films I love just a bit more. (I've never rated any movie a 10 on IMDB. That's just how I am.) The pace is stable, does not linger on exposition or fill the time with pointless scenes, nor does it wear you out with constant action scenes. The cinematography is as good as you could expect for a drama that isn't trying to be an "art film" - with some beautiful and gritty settings and appropriate lighting, The story is solid, with a couple of interesting surprises, and the script comes across very natural - far more so than many TV series or direct to Netflix movies. The casting and acting, however, is what carries it all the way home.I'll admit much of the time I was teary eyed watching this film, especially the ending. I don't typically hunger for "feel-good, family-friendly fare" because in the real world there is a turmoil in humanity that once you see it, you can't unsee it - and any movie that attempts to sugarcoat that while attempting to address a serious subject, to me, feels pretentious. However, in spite of this movie's excellent portrayal of a father and son in an increasingly desperate situation, the movie DID make me feel good, even while making me cry. It gave me a release.Demian Bechir make acting look easy for his Oscar-nominated role as Carlos, an undocumented Mexican immigrant working as a landscaper in Souther California and trying to support the life of his troubled teenage son. Carlos is unflinching in his dedication to supporting his child, no matter how tense things seem between them. Luis, fourteen, is increasingly restless with his life in a gritty, low-income neighborhood, where he and his friends picture their futures with less and less optimism. Day by day, the ominous proximity of gang activity beckons Luis to drop out of school and succumb to the 'hood life, which already seems to have appealed more to his best friends than the perceived alternatives of washing dishes or mowing lawns.During a heated conversation about Luis' suspension from school for an altercation with another student, Luis shouts at Carlos to "Go mow some lawns!" The helpless alienation Bechir portrays as Carlos, despite his tireless efforts to provide the best possible future for his son, is reminiscent to Kevin Spacey's father-daughter relationship in "American Beauty", though played with a much more serious tone. During one of the more heart-wrenching dialogues in the movie, Luis questions his father, "Why did you have me? Why do all these poor people have kids?" After a devastating theft threatens to destroy their future, it is interesting to see how both Carlos' and Luis' different moral codes interpret the scenarios they encounter as a team - Carlos, the law-abiding citizen, who respects authority and tries to make as little waves as possible, and Luis, with his high ideals and desire to take fairness and retribution into his own hands because nobody else will. This film, though its content could be powerful enough influence people regarding current social ssues, does not resemble a propaganda film, in case you were curious. Far from being a political commentary, it is a story about family, hard work, and difficult choices, though in order to tell that story, realistic examples are shown of the emotional deterioration faced by real people, brought on by the fear of losing their jobs or worse, the forced separation from their families or children, regardless of sole provider status. As I said earlier, "family friendly" isn't always a draw for me, but yet I feel relieved this film is appropriate enough to be shown to middle school aged kids, provided they don't mind reading some subtitles. (Most of the movie is in English but there are some Spanish parts.) Cursing and violence are fairly minimal, and there's no sex. I hope that some social studies teachers will take advantage of this film's temperance and use it to catalyze discussion with their students. "A Better Life" is a film about a hard life, one that aches with hope, and certainly should make you think, but should not make you bitter. If anything, you may find a newfound admiration for people who are faced with situations like Carlos and gratitude for comforts you took for granted. Whether or not the story itself is something you think you've seen before, I doubt you've seen it acted better. "A Better Life"'s characters are strong, courageous, and not easily forgettable. At the end of the movie, I was shaking. I couldn't wait to write this review.

The recent news of ICE's arrest of immigrant families in Texas, and the subsequent separation of children from their parents, makes "A Better Life" all the more important. The movie shows how the immigrants just want to ensure that their children don't have to live in fear. Indeed, the people detained by ICE were fleeing violence in their native countries.Demián Bichir - in an Academy Award-nominated performance - puts on a fine performance as the desperate Carlos, a man trying to ensure that his son can live well despite the circumstances. This is the sort of movie that everyone should see, both as a look at those on society's margins and as an antidote to the sorts of movies that Hollywood usually turns out. An outstanding movie.

A better life was nice laid back film which was entertaining in parts but was overshadowed by stupendous performance by Demian BichirA Better Life tells a story about a struggling father who is craving for a better school for his son's education , better place to stay and do something on his own.When I heard about Demian Bichir getting Oscar nod for his acting , I was thrilled to watch this flick. The movie has a simple story about a torn relationship between father and son and how father wants to make things better and spend some quality time with son. It is the simplicity that draws attention and makes it worth watching at least once. The movie starts off well with character building and some heart warming scenes but looses the steam afterwards. The 2nd half is little bit of engaging but the climax is saved by superb performance by Demian where he promises his boy to come back. Direction is good but screenplay could have been more crispy. Cinematography is decent along with nice background score. Damein Bichir is the remarkable who carries the film on his shoulder. He fits into the character that you feel sympathy for him Overall , very nice drama with some loose ends but goes well with superb performance by Damein Bichir.

"A better life" depicts the life of many Hispanic immigrants who came to America hoping for opportunities to seek the American dream. The movie is about a father migrating to the United States seeking for better life for his family only to realized that it was tougher than he thought. Working as a gardener, he struggles to make enough to support the family. Aside from being financially unstable, he also struggles to spend time with his son. Easily influenced by gangs, drugs, and violence, he tries his best to prevent his son from going into that path. A well directed movie with superb acting, this movie deserves to be in the top 5 movies of the year. It is a heartfelt movie that will make the audience fall in love with the characters and the storyline. Overall 11/10 stars