8.2 out of 10
‘A Better Life’ is a touching story about an illegal immigrant and his struggle to find a better life for his son. The film can be applied to almost any family dynamic as the main focus is on a father’s love for his son rather than an alien’s struggle to stay in the United States. While the story is strong and the acting and cinematography are very good, the film is not nearly as poignant as it thinks it is. A lot of what unfolds really does hit home, but ultimately the connection with the characters is not very strong. Great movies can connect different scenarios to the audience even if they don’t face those situations. Very good movies, like this one, sometimes miss that mark.
‘A Better Life’ is exactly what you would expect: a well-acted, touching story about an illegal immigrant and his son, but it doesn’t do anything to set itself apart from the pack.
Any spoilers will be clearly marked so you can avoid reading them if you so choose.
A Better Life is now available on video in Baltimore.
The Good
How can you dislike a story that is centered on a father’s unwavering love for his son? The heart of A Better Life is this unbreakable bond even in the face of tribulation. Carlos, played by Demián Bichir, faces all the troubles an illegal immigrant in the United States faces, but he pushes on for the sake of his son. He wants to provide a better life for him.
The acting is pretty solid all around. There really are no ‘big name’ American actors in this small production film, but often times a completely new cast can be refreshing (Bichir does have quite a few credits). The actors did a fine job together and everything was very believable.
The ending is very satisfying. You may not completely agree with everything director Chris Weitz (About a Boy, Twilight: New Moon) does, but it is a realistic and inspirational way to wrap things up. The focus of the film is on the family dynamic and the ending is too. I tried to come up with an ending that would have been more fitting and could not think of one.
I really enjoyed the music and score in A Better Life. It is understated at times and prominent at others and always right on for the setting in the scene. Credit Alexandre Desplat for the music. He has over 125 credits to his name including The King’s Speech, Harry Potter and Twilight.
As far as ‘small productions’ go this one had a pretty big budget of around $10 million (BoxOfficeMojo). Sadly, it looks like this one is not going to come up profitable as it only took in a little less than $2 million at the worldwide box office and it would take a lot of DVD sales to make up the rest. It really is a shame too, because this one is going on my recommendations list from 2011. If you can get your hands on a rental, check this one out.
The Bad
A Better Life initially comes off like a poignant film that will really touch the audience deeply and leave a lasting impression. But then, it’s not. It is really hard to emotionally connect with these characters and that has nothing to do with the fact they live lives that may be very different than most of the audience. Tons of movies have that same situation and manage to provide a deep connection to the characters. However, A Better Life leaves us on the outside looking in rather than giving us that feeling like we are a part of the family. If you ask me exactly what the filmmakers should have done differently to provide that connection I would tell you I do not know. It is one of those intangible qualities that may come from all areas of a film instead of just one or two.
The pacing in A Better Life leaves a lot to be desired as well. The film gets off to a slow start and never really picks up the pace. The film is just over 90 minutes long but feels like two and a half hour drama marathon. If it wasn’t for the periodic subtitles this could easily be one of those films you put on in the background while you work on a jigsaw puzzle or clip coupons. You wouldn’t miss anything important because the pace doesn’t demand your full attention. That is not necessarily an inherently bad quality, but in this case the pacing leaves you wanting more.
The Bottom Line
A Better Life is a very good film, but not a great one. It’s also not the type of film that I would classify as a ‘Must-See’. I do recommend it if you get the chance, but you don’t have to knock over an old lady at the Red Box to get the last copy. Chances are if you watch it you will enjoy it, but you will also not miss anything too special if you do not see it. Oddly enough there are films I would rate in the 7-8 range that I would recommend over this one even though I gave it an 8.2. There is just nothing overly special here. The movie is utterly forgettable. It is a very good story with some great music and good acting, but you won’t be talking about it around the water cooler at work the day after you watch it. That’s about the best way I can describe this one.
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