From almost the opening credits, the story pulled me in with its completely believable, if romanticized, depiction of immigrant family life. A Better Life is really about a father-son relationship. The father, Carlos Galindo (played by Demian Bichir), works long hours as a landscaper in rich seaside mansions. He makes enough to support him and his son, 14 year old Luis (Jose Julian) though as an undocumented worker, Carlos has no job protection. This precariousness makes it more difficult to raise his son how he'd like to. When his need to provide for his son faces this vulnerability, the movie takes off.
The acting is not terrible, though the real gem is to see all the ways not having legal status degrades your ability to make good on family obligations, how the sacrifice of parents is heightened, how the children seek to redeem this sacrifice, and how the US system does not support families with US citizen children. I won't give away the ending! Out on DVD now. Tell me what moral lessons you get from it after you watch!
Trailer
Who should have rights in the US? And how does it affect us when some people among us don't?
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