Additional information for A Better Life, which has a domestic theatrical release set for June 24, 2011. The film is being distributed by Summit Entertainment and has not yet been rated. A Better Life has a total running time of 98 minutes.
PG-13
USA
PG
Canada
NC-16
Singapore
12A
UK
U
France
B
Mexico
6
Netherlands
13
Argentina
98min
Una vida mejor
Argentina
Una vida mejor
Mexico
Una vida mejor
Spain
A kertész
Hungary
Bolji zivot
Serbia
Lepsze zycie
Poland
Mia kalyteri zoi
Greece
Parempi elämä
Finland
The Gardener
USA
Uma Vida Melhor
Brazil
June 24, 2011
USA
July 15, 2011
Canada
July 29, 2011
Ireland
July 29, 2011
UK
October 21, 2011
Mexico
October 22, 2011
Japan
November 21, 2011
UK
January 11, 2012
Sweden
March 07, 2012
Argentina
March 22, 2012
Brazil
April 10, 2012
Netherlands
Every father wants more for his son
A Better Life begins with Carlos Galindo (Demián Bichir) waking up and going to work. He works as part of a two-man crew with Blasco Martinez (Joaquín Cosio) as a gardener. Blasco is ready to return to Mexico and continually tries to persuade Carlos to purchase his business from him, which includes the work truck and professional gardening tools.Carlos' son Luis (José Julián) is in high school and is dating Ruthie Valdez, the niece of a prominent and powerful local gang leader. Although Ruthies influences get Luis into trouble, she sincerely loves and cares about him. Luis regularly goes to her house after school and is surrounded by gangs and the violence of the streets. This environment further has Luis contemplating his choice of submitting to the gang lifestyle. Luis and Carlos are at odds with each other because Luis is embarrassed by his father and, although he does not wish to follow in his footsteps, has a hard time committing himself to his education. However, his relationship with Ruthie pushes him more in the wrong direction, and his friend Facundo (Bobby Soto) wants to join the local gang and pressures Luis into doing the same.Carlos calls his sister Anna (Dolores Heredia) and asks her for financial assistance to purchase the gardening business from Blasco. Although she wishes to help him, she must first speak with her husband. The next evening, she shows up at his house with the $12,000 he asked for. She reveals to him that it is her daughters education fund. Carlos is reluctant to accept, but after Anna instills her faith in him he is determined to work hard, better himself and Luis, and subsequently pay her back in a year or less.Proud to have purchased the business from Blasco, Carlos returns to the corner where he first met him and hires a worker of his own, Santiago (Carlos Linares). On the first day, as Carlos is near the top of a tall palm tree, Santiago steals the truck. Panicked, Carlos runs after Santiago, but is easily evaded.The next morning, Carlos and Luis head out to find Santiago. They return to the corner looking for him, but he is not there. However, another man who frequents the corner leads them to a South Central apartment complex where he says Santiago lives. The apartment is used as lodgings for illegal immigrant workers from different countries. One man, to whom Santiago sold Carlos cellphone, tells them that Santiago moonlights as a dishwasher at a Mexican restaurant. It turns out to be a nightclub, which is closed when they arrive. They hear music in the distance and find a rodeo.At the rodeo, Carlos and Luis have a conversation revealing Luiss true feeling toward his culture, his father and their situation. Luis is bitter about his mother not being around and feels alone and abandoned because she went away. Furthermore, he expresses to Carlos that he doesnt care for Mexican style music, calling it stupid and that he does care for the past memories his father tries to bring up to bond with him. This further instills the feeling of alienation from Luis, but Carlos is determined to understand him, and have Luis understand Carlos. When the nightclub opens, Carlos finds Santiago washing dishes. Santiago runs away, but Luis is waiting outside, and tackles him. Luis beats Santiago, but Carlos stops him. They discover that Santiago has sold the truck and sent the $3000 to his family. Luis again reveals that he also had high hopes for the business and moving to a better neighborhood and going to a better school. Luis runs away.The next morning Carlos goes looking for Luis and finds him at his friend Facundos house. They argue, but Luis thinks hard and realizes that to move forward and succeed, he must stand by his father. They find the garage where Santiago sold the truck and manage to steal it back. However, on their way home, they are pulled over by the police and Carlos is arrested and placed in prison as an illegal immigrant. He is quickly processed, and Luis gets to the prison just before Carlos is about to board a deportation bus. The guards allow Luis and Carlos to see each other and Carlos apologizes to Luis for not being there for him, and for what he considers is failing him. Luis tells him he shouldnt be sorry. Carlos makes Luis promise him that he will succeed in his studies and Luis makes Carlos promise him that he will return. They both agree and Luis and Anna watch Carlos board the deportation bus.The film closes with Luis at a soccer game with his aunt Anna and his two cousins watching him play. We then see Carlos about to go into the desert with many other illegal immigrants and a coyote guiding them. The coyote says: Listos, para el otro lado - Ready for the other side?, Carlos responds, Vamos a la casa" - "Lets go home.
Chris Weitz
Director(s)
Eric Eason
Roger L. Simon
Writer(s)
Jami Gertz
producer
Laura Greenlee
co-producer
Paul Junger Witt
producer
Stacey Lubliner
producer
Christian McLaughlin
producer
Tony Thomas
executive producer
Chris Weitz
producer
Producer(s)
Alexandre Desplat
Composer(s)
Carlos Galindo
Demián Bichir
Himself
Eddie 'Piolin' Sotelo
Blasco Martinez
Joaquín Cosio
Luis Galindo
José Julián
Mrs. Donnely
Nancy Lenehan
Ramon
Gabriel Chavarria
Facundo
Bobby Soto
Ruthie Valdez
Chelsea Rendon
School Security Officer
Trampas Thompson
Juvie Officer
Tim Griffin
School Secretary
Valorie Hubbard
Anita
Dolores Heredia
Linda
Isabella Rae Thomas
Santiago
Carlos Linares
Truck Driver
Robert Peters
Marcelo Valdez
Richard Cabral
Bella
Bella Balajadia
Gigi
Giselle Nieto
Ruthie's Uncle (as Luis A. Colocio)
Luis Colocio
Ruthie's Uncle
Ray Moreno
Ruthie's Mother
Yelyna De Leon
Jesus
Rolando Molina
Young Woman
Taide Acosta
Bearded Man
Joe Renteria
Payaso
Isidro Vallin
Shot Girl
Magi Avila
Mexican Singer
Henry Ambriz
Voz de Mando Singer
Miguel Alejandro Gaxiola
Voz de Mando Singer
Jorge Arturo Gaxiola
Busboy
Robert Renderos
Auto Mart Security Guard
Charles Currier
Prison Guard
Marlon Correa
Police Officer
Adrian Mojica
Gabe Wettenal
Todd Felix
Rey
Eddie Martinez
ICE Officer
Jason Medwin
ICE Officer
Tom Schanley
Coyote
Abraham Chaidez
ICE Officer (uncredited)
Ruben Avitia
Bouncer (uncredited)
Rico Devereaux
A gardener in East L.A. struggles to keep his son away from gangs and immigration agents while trying to give his son the opportunities he never had.
Director(s)
Roger L. Simon
Writer(s)
producer
Laura Greenlee
co-producer
Paul Junger Witt
producer
Stacey Lubliner
producer
Christian McLaughlin
producer
Tony Thomas
executive producer
Chris Weitz
producer
Producer(s)
Composer(s)
Other Films from Summit Entertainment
50/50, Astro Boy, Bandslam, Fair Game, Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain, Man on a Ledge, Next Day Air, Red (2010), Sex Drive, Snitch, Sorority Row, The Brothers Bloom, The Cold Light of Day, The Great Buck Howard, The Hurt Locker, The Impossible, The Three Musketeers 3D, The Tomb (2013), The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, Warm Bodies
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