A Better Life 2011

PG-13

(513) IMDb 7.2/10

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Illegal immigrant and hardworking single dad Carlos Galindo (Demian Bichir) embarks on a physical and spiritual journey in order to reconnect with his teenage son and keep him from getting pulled into the local gang life. From director Chris Weitz (About a Boy), A BETTER LIFE is a touching, poignant, multi-generational story that critics call "compelling," "intelligent" and "heartfelt."

Starring:: Demian Bichir, Jose Julian, Chelsea Rendon
Runtime:: 1 hour, 37 minutes

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Product details

Genres	Drama
Director	Chris Weitz
Starring	Demian Bichir, Jose Julian, Chelsea Rendon
Supporting actors	Delores Heredia
Studio	Summit Entertainment
MPAA rating	PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned)
Producers	Paul Junger Witt, Christian McLaughlin, Jamie Gertz, Stacey Lubliner, Laura Greenlee, Tony Thomas
Captions and subtitles	English [CC] Details
Audio	English
Purchase rights	Stream instantly Details
Format	Prime Video (streaming online video)
Devices	Available to watch on supported devices

Other formats

DVD
$5.00

Multi-format
$14.99

Customer Reviews

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MIFNP

5-Stars! A gut-wrenching movie about a father wanting to make a better life for his son. Very realistic.

May 16, 2016

Format: Amazon VideoVerified Purchase

A must-see film, and very timely. We are in very uneasy times in the US and immigration issues are a hot-button for many in this nation. I was struck by how this father experienced so many tough breaks, one after the other, just to care for his boy and make a better life for him. Literally, at one point in the movie I thought of turning it off because I couldn't stand "one more thing" to go awry for this man. Then, about 1 and 1/2 hours into the movie, he finds a glimpse of grace, in of all places, the deportation prison! The conversation between father and son was gut wrenching. I sobbed.

This is a horribly sad movie. What's even sadder is that is true to life. There must be a better way. Let's pray for our nation's leaders--that God gives them wisdom and discernment to steer our country back in the right direction.

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J.R.S.

One amazing film.

February 16, 2016

Format: Amazon VideoVerified Purchase

Demian Bichir played the role of his life. I really wished he had won the Oscar he was nominated for best actor. He plays a single dad Carlos raising a son Lois in high school and they really don't have the best relationship. Carlos is an illegal and working for a landscaper. He gets an opportunity when his boss offers to sell him his work truck and keep the clients. BE YOUR OWN BOSS he tells him. Carlos knows the consequences if he gets caught and that's where the story takes off.
I myself was a single dad with a son but didn't deal with the hardships portrayed in the movie. When we watched it together by the end we were both choked up. This is a great movie to watch with your family.

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Andrea M. Pinto

Great movie, keeps attention

January 24, 2018

Format: DVDVerified Purchase

Great movie--I showed it to my Spanish high school classes--really keeps teenagers' (and adults'!) attention, and wonderful story in general, not to mention great for discussion about class inequality, illegal/undocumented immigration, value of work, etc. Spoiler alert--it's sort of a bittersweet ending.

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Kari Ann

Great Movie!

May 25, 2016

Format: Amazon VideoVerified Purchase

Great movie, I watched it twice and I hardly ever watch a movie twice. Great movie, everyone should watch it.

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Loyal Poehler

very touching and great acting from the main star

February 16, 2016

Format: Amazon VideoVerified Purchase

Could have been a little more honest. And the ending was left open! Made me leak water from my eyes though, very touching and great acting from the main star. But I did like the lessons of the father ( even though he was breaking the law) but he just wanted a better life like so many illegals. I can not faut anyone for that. But it just shows how much grey there is with the laws and life a a whole. Who wouldn't try to get to a better life! But the biggest problem is Mexico itself needed to be fixed and how almost impossible it is to do with the corruption vs the ease of just trying to get back to the USA . Mexico needs a revolution.

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cactuswren

Very touching It is realistic if you know or work ...

November 8, 2016

Format: Amazon VideoVerified Purchase

Very touching

It is realistic if you know or work with people who are represented in this movie. It is touching that the father loves his son this much to risk coming here the way he did and to risk re-entry.

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Diane Marie

No spoiler alert here

February 12, 2016

Format: Amazon VideoVerified Purchase

Heartfelt movie about the struggles of a father (illegal alien) and his teenage son in L.A. The father wants A Better Life for himself and his son, but his status as an illegal stands in the way of his pursuit. The story is moving and realistic. As circumstances keep pushing him further down, he never gives up. His love for his son and desire for him to "become somebody," fuels him, despite desperate circumstances. The movie left me feeling emotionally drained, as the hardworking father, who wants to do the right thing faces obstacle after obstacle. The film leaves you rooting for this man and hoping his efforts are rewarded. Beautifully acted.

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Angelica Gomez

A better life

March 1, 2012

Format: DVDVerified Purchase

I enjoyed the movie from beginning to end. As a immigrant and mostly as Mexican, it has been great to see that the world knows about us and that we feel more valuable. We had came here to the United States from generation to generation and we are growing in a big way. I feel so proud that my daughter is able to speak English and Spanish and that she is part of the present and future of this country. There are all these feeling that this movie provoke within me. I am sooo proud of Demian Vichir in this movie and I know that he is going to win an Oscar one day and that he is a great roll model for my daughter. I am proud of myself becuase is been hard to learn English, most of all because I was 26 when I came to the States but it is really rewarding that I can teach Spanish to my daughter and she can teach me English as she normally says.

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