A Better Life poster

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A Better Life

2011 · Movie · 98 min
B

MEANRANK

73/100

Averaged across 9 ratings · 55.6K votes

Every rating

Platform pages last read 30 September 2026. IMDb’s figure comes from IMDb’s own data file, which we re-read about once a month.

64–86 out of 100

Mostly agreed

Lowest is Metacritic critics on 64, highest is Rotten Tomatoes critics on 86.

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Carlos Galindo is an undocumented Mexican gardener working in Los Angeles, struggling to provide a future for his teenage son, Luis. To keep Luis away from the influence of local gangs, Carlos invests his life savings in buying his own truck and landscaping business. When the truck is stolen, father and son embark on a journey across the city to recover it, a possession that represents all of Carlos's hopes and dreams. The quest forces them to reconnect and confront the precarious nature of their life in America.

Details

Director
Chris Weitz
Released
24 June 2011
Country
United States
Language
English
Runtime
98 min
Rated
PG-13
Budget
$10.0M
Box office
$1.8M
Awards
0 wins, 4 nominations

This title elsewhere

Demián Bichir

Demián Bichir

Carlos Riquelme

José Julián

José Julián

Luis Galindo

Chelsea Rendon

Chelsea Rendon

Ruthie Valdez

Joaquín Cosío

Joaquín Cosío

Blasco Martinez

Carlos Linares

Carlos Linares

Santiago

Bobby Soto

Bobby Soto

Facundo

Nancy Lenehan

Nancy Lenehan

Mrs. Donnely

Awards & nominations

See all 4 →

0 wins from 4 nominations across 4 ceremonies

Academy Awards 2011 Best Actor Demián Bichir Nominee
Independent Spirit Awards 2011 Best Male Lead Demián Bichir Nominee
Screen Actors Guild Awards 2011 Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role Demián Bichir Nominee
Young Artist Awards 2011 Best Leading Young Actor in a Feature Film José Julián Nominee

Awards from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA.