I am the son of an immigrant to this nation, so Chris
Weitz's film A Better Life hits close to home.
Effectively tugging at your heartstrings, the film puts a face on the subject
of illegal immigration. While
other feature films come off as preachy and a bit one sided, A Better Life focuses on its characters,
giving audiences a clear picture of both sides of this constant political
battle.
The film is not without its faults,
namely the acting. While Demian
Bichir does a fine job as our central character, those around him fail to rise
to the occasion. Much in the vein of Eastwood's Gran Torino,
Weitz's decision to cast real-life gang members and illegal immigrants in the supporting
roles is a drawback as the less-than-stellar acting prevents the film from
being truly remarkable.
The
story itself is pretty straightforward; a father who is an illegal immigrant
strives to provide a better situation for his teenage son and himself by doing
landscaping in a rough part of Los Angeles. He purchases a truck only to have
it stolen on the job, forcing him and his son to go on a quest in search of it.
What makes this movie unique and
refreshing is that the ending is not tied up in a nice, neat bow. While
watching the film I couldn't help but recognize many similarities between the
son (played by Jose Julian) and myself.
It is this authenticity that allows the film to work so well. Julian's Luis is a brash, independent
youth who doesn't fully appreciate the sacrifices his father makes to ensure a
life that is better than his own.
Weitz and composer Alexandre
Desplat are able to mix both sound and image, creating a tone that showcases a
Los Angeles that is both heaven and hell on earth. Expect to be moved and
possibly convinced, that at the end of the day, we really do have it made in
America. A Better Life shows us why the struggle to get here is sometimes
worth the risk.
