A Better Life

A Better Life is a 2011 American drama film directed by Chris Weitz and written by Eric Eason. It is based on Roger L. Simon's story and follows an undocumented immigrant gardener and his son finding their rent-to-own truck. Demián Bichir was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor.
Plot.
Carlos Galindo works as a gardener in Los Angeles with his partner, Blasco. His son, Luis, studies at high school. Luis spends time with his girlfriend, who is affiliated with gang members. They pressure him to join them. On one occasion, Luis is suspended for assaulting the student. Carlos' sister, Anita, lends $12,000 from the family's emergency fund for Carlos to buy Blasco's truck. It is later stolen by Santiago, whom Carlos hired. The next day, Carlos and Luis head to the South Central apartment complex, which is used as lodgings for undocumented immigrant workers. One man tells the two that Santiago works as a nightclub dishwasher. Carlos and Luis head to the restaurant, which would open during the night. At the rodeo, Carlos mentions to Luis about his mother abandoning them. Luis mentions that he dislikes Mexican music and culture. After finding Santiago at the nightclub, Carlos and Luis interrogate him in the parking lot. They learn that he has sold the truck to the garage and sent the money to his family in El Salvador. When Santiago pleads not guilty, Luis becomes upset with Carlos for defending him, and leaves. The next day, Carlos convinces Luis to go with him to the place where Santiago had sold the truck. After they successfully retrieve the truck, they are stopped by the police. Carlos is arrested and incarcerated as an illegal American immigrant. Luis visits the detention center, and reconciles with his father. After promising Luis that he will return, Carlos boards the deportation bus. Luis spends time with the family, while Carlos and other migrants travel through the desert.
Production.
The film is uncommon among Hollywood productions as it is set in a Hispanic community and features an almost entirely Hispanic cast. Weitz used the film to explore the culture and geography of Los Angeles. Father Gregory Boyle of Homeboy Industries, run by former gang members, helped Weitz and his crew with finding locations and making their film as authentic as possible. The language of the script was modified to reflect the actual slang used in Los Angeles, even reflecting linguistic differences from the street.
Release.
The film was released on June 24, 2011.
Critical reception.
Critical response to the film has been positive. It has garnered an 85% "fresh" rating from Rotten Tomatoes, based on 107 reviews, and an average rating of 6.89/10. The critical consensus reads: "Powered by a terrific performance from Demián Bichir, "A Better Life" is an immigrant story told with simplicity and an ample amount of heart." The critical aggregator Metacritic awarded the film a score of 64 out of 100, based on 30 critics, signifying "generally positive reviews". Manohla Dargis, film critic for "The New York Times", called the film "Touching and startling." Peter Travers of "Rolling Stone" called the film "a haunting movie that gets under your skin." Writing for "Entertainment Weekly", Dave Karger called "A Better Life" an "unfussy, yet quite powerful drama with a terrific central performance by Demián Bichir." Karger called the film an "awards contender" and wrote, "With the right reviews and commercial reception, it could go even further." Roger Ebert, of the "Chicago Sun-Times", wrote that "the performances are pitch perfect" and he gave the film 3.5 stars out of 4. "The New Yorker" critic Richard Brody wrote: "The story unfolds without hagiography, pity, or trumped-up heroism, as the filmmaker approaches the lives of everyday people with modest compassion and imaginative sympathy. Amy Biancolli, writing in the "Houston Chronicle", said "It's straight, true and heartbreaking, a masterstroke of raw emotional minimalism".
Telenovela version.
Telemundo produced a telenovela adaptation, "Bajo el mismo cielo", starring Gabriel Porras and María Elisa Camargo. The series aired from July 28, 2015 to January 25, 2016.