Review of A Better Life (2011) by Ladyrachel — 28 Jul 2011

As a huge fan of handsome actor, Demian Bicher, I was looking forward with great anticipation to the release of A Better Life. Bicher turned in a superb, heart-wrenching performance as Carlos Galindo, an undocumented Mexican immigrant and gardener who encountered overwhelming obstacles raising his son, Luis (Jose Julian), alone in a gang-infested neighborhood of East Los Angeles.

Carlos represents countless "Illegals" scattered across the United States who are exploited in every conceivable way and survive the most oppressive circumstances to support their families -- one indication of how dreadful conditions are in Mexico.

Carlos' wife, weary from bearing one disappointment after another, left him when Luis was a young child. Carlos is so devoted to his son's well-being, he gave him the only bedroom in their tiny apartment while he slept on a tattered sofa in the living room.

Though the completely "Americanized" Luis gets suspended from school repeatedly for poor attendance and acts generally like an entitled brat, Carlos is patient and forgiving and treats him as if he were a prince.

Whatever it took, Carlos simply wanted Luis to have the opportunities he never enjoyed, among them, steer clear of negative influences, avoid being arrested and annihilated by the prison system, graduate from high school -- college maybe (?) -- and live a happy, rewarding life -- quite a feat for a teenager growing up in poverty in a barrios.

Carlos is a loyal man with refined principles and notably high moral values, something Luis did not appreciate until his Dad, driving without a license, was arrested during a traffic stop and deported.

A Better Life is realistic and thought-provoking. Viewers' attention was riveted throughout the entire feature -- you could literally hear a pin drop. There were three rounds of well-deserved applause after the film ended.

I would be surprised if Bicher were not nominated for several 2011 Best Actor Awards.