# A Better Life (2011)

> A Mexican gardener and his teenage son fight to recover a stolen work truck while an immigration crisis threatens their fragile life in California.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/movie/38144

## Facts

- Runtime: 98 min
- Genres: Drama
- Director: Chris Weitz
- Cast: Demián Bichir, José Julián, Chelsea Rendon, Dolores Heredia, Joaquín Cosío, Carlos Linares, Bobby Soto, Nancy Lenehan
- TMDB rating: 7.2/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1554091/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: strong
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: mild
- Mood: intimate, wistful, tense, reflective evening, social issue film night

## Synopsis

A father's love and determination clash with the harsh realities of life in America.

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- [Hellion (2014)](https://ember.film/movie/139598)
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- [The Confirmation (2016)](https://ember.film/movie/224060)
- [Nothing in Return (2015)](https://ember.film/movie/206119)
- [The Redemption (2025)](https://ember.film/movie/7416377)

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