Review of A Better Life (2011) by Manny C — 15 Aug 2011
The director of the craptacular boreathon New Moon and the epically awful The Golden Compass directing a good movie? Stranger things have happened. It's true though, A Better Life radiates raw emotional realism.
It's more than just a good-intentions docudrama. Director Chris Weitz makes sure this story of a father (Demian Bichir) living illegally in East Los Angeles doing everything he can to save his son from gang life pierces the heart.
Bichir is Carlos Galindo, a Mexican gardener who devotes much of his time with his teen son (Jose Julian, a genuine talent). Weitz himself is of Mexican ancestry, and he takes the script from Eric Eason to use telling, intimate details that illustrates a greater theme, and they do it marvelously.
With nods to Vittorio de Sica's classic The Bicycle Thief and an electrifying performance from Bichir (Oscar pay attention), Weitz crafts a movie that tears at your heart and gets right under your skin.
It's a keeper.
This review of A Better Life (2011) was written by Manny C on 15 Aug 2011.
A Better Life has generally received positive reviews.
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