A Better Life

• Demián Bichir: Carlos Galindo
• José Julián Luis Galindo
• Carlos Linares: Santiago
• Eddie " Piolin " Sotelo: Eddie " Piolin " Sotelo
• Joaquín Cosio as Blasco Martinez
• Nancy Lenehan: Mrs. Donnely
• Gabriel Chavarria: Ramon
• Bobby Soto: Facundo
• Chelsea Rendon: Ruthie Valdez
• Kimberly Morales: Julia Blanco
• Lizbeth Leon: Lily Castillo

A Better Life ( " A Better Life ") is a feature film by the American director Chris Weitz from the year 2011. It tells the story of a Mexican gardener who is illegally in the United States and seeking a better future for himself and his son. The main actor Demián Bichir was nominated for his performance for an Oscar.

Action

Carlos Galindo works as a gardener in Los Angeles. His son Luis goes to high school, and Carlos best endeavors to keep him away from the influence of the local street gangs. This turns out, however, difficult, since Luis girlfriend Ruthie Valdez is the niece of a city known gear - leader.

Carlos is working hard to realize their own American dream for himself and his family. One day when he can afford a used pick-up of his money himself, seems to be the fulfillment of this dream in the near vicinity. But soon after the pick-up is stolen, and Carlos have to dare against his will in the course environment to arrange his affairs.

Background

The director Chris Weitz, among other things, known for his films About a Boy and The Golden Compass, took during the filming of the help of the Jesuit priest Gregory Boyle in claim, founder of the well-known self-help project, Homeboy Industries, the ex- criminals from the course environment helping to rehabilitate himself. Boyle mediated, among other locations, and helped Weitz in projecting the events as authentic as possible. The film focuses explicitly on the culture and the local habit of Los Angeles, which again can be found in the original English, among others, in the slang of the street gangs.

The film is in some ways a novelty in the film industry, as that for the first time a U.S. production was almost exclusively occupied with Hispanic actors and moves entirely in Hispanic milieu.

The film was released on June 24, 2011 in the United States. For Germany is currently no release date yet.

Reception

The film was mostly well received by critics. The American film critic Rogert Ebert gave the film 3.5 out of 4 possible points, and particularly praised the actresses performance as " absolutely perfect ". On the website Rotten Tomatoes A Better Life received a strong above-average rating of 85%. Also on Metacritic.com scored the film an average of 64 out of 100.

Demián Bichir was nominated for his performance as Carlos Galindo for an Oscar. In addition, there were nominations for the Independent Spirit Award and Screen Actors Guild Award. Also composer Alexandre Desplat was honored for his work on the project.