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A BETTER LIFE (2011)Movie Reviews
Multi-generational drama about a father's love and how far he will go to give his son the opportunities he never had. Cast:Demian Bichir, José Julián, Dolores Heredia, Joaquín CosioDirector:Chris WeitzRelease Date:June 24, 2011DVD Release:October 18, 2011From:Summit EntertainmentRating:PG-13Length:1 hr 38 min
OCTOBER 18, 2011
A Better Life (2011), Very Good Reviews Key Cities
A Better Life (2011) played in key cities to very good reviews. • Marc Mohan wrote in the Portland Oregonian, "...a genuinely moving tale of a father and son banding together in a hostile world." • And Stephen Whitty wrote in the New Jersey Star-Ledger, "...a little bit of 'The Bicycle Thief,' a little bit of a barrio melodrama, and little bit of the sort of do-good entertainment that used to be called 'a problem film.' " More Reviews Below...
A Better Life (2011) Positive Reviews (40 Reviews, reviews below)
Alynda Wheat, People: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Whatever you think of illegal immigration, see Demián Bichir's performance... The way hope and despair flicker on his face all at once is a wonder."(See all of Alynda Wheat's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 90 words, 06/23/11
David Germain, Associated Press: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...an inconsequential and unoriginal look at East L.A. gang life, though the casting of some colorful former gang members adds depth and authenticity that the script lacks."(See all of David Germain's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 467 words, 06/23/11
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: EXCELLENT(cg) "Carlos is a silent striver who, like the heroes of 'The Bicycle Thief' and 'Man Push Cart,' embodies a humanity that is ultimately heartbreaking."(See all of Owen Gleiberman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 333 words, 06/23/11
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone: VERY GOOD(cg) "...the film seems like one of those docudramas that beg to be rewarded solely for their good intentions. But Chris Weitz cuts deep... This movie will get under your skin."(See all of Peter Travers's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 188 words, 06/24/11
Claudia Puig, USA Today: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...must-see viewing, poignantly revealing what it's like living confined to the shadows of contemporary society.... rings universally true."(See all of Claudia Puig's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 506 words, 06/24/11
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: OUTSTANDING(cg) "The film was directed by Chris Weitz. Ring a bell? His previous film was 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon.' Why do I imagine he was happier making this film than that one?"(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 486 words, 07/08/11
Glenn Kenny, MSN Movies: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "The best reason to consider seeing 'A Better Life' is the lead performance of Demián Bichir.... The second-best reason is the performance by José Julián..."(See all of Glenn Kenny's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 598 words, 06/21/11
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (13 Reviews)
Manohla Dargis, New York Times: VERY GOOD "...an emotionally resonant film about how we live now.... It tries to put a lump in your throat and a tear on your cheek (it succeeds)..."(See all of Manohla Dargis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 873 words, 06/24/11
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "With its careful compositions and message-minded dialogue, Chris Weitz's modest drama feels more earnest than real. Still, its sincerity is admirable, and often touching."(See all of Elizabeth Weitzman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 141 words, 06/24/11
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: WEAK "...should be a much better movie than it is, but emotions get in the way.... the film is weighted down by clichés. A pity, since the issues could hardly be more timely."(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 506 words, 06/24/11
Lou Lumenick, New York Post: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "Good performances and a look at lesser-known corners of Los Angeles are the big assets... director Chris Weitz keeps the schmaltz in check..."(See all of Lou Lumenick's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 172 words, 06/24/11
Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...a curious picture in every way... The limitations here have to do with style, not theme.... feels more Hollywood than East LA..."(See all of Michael Phillips's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 564 words, 07/08/11
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: OUTSTANDING(cg) "The film was directed by Chris Weitz. Ring a bell? His previous film was 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon.' Why do I imagine he was happier making this film than that one?"(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 486 words, 07/08/11
Melissa Anderson, Village Voice/LA Weekly: WEAK "...takes on the combustible topic of illegal immigration through the soft, safe focus of father-son bonding, with a heavy nod to 'The Bicycle Thief.' "(See all of Melissa Anderson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 222 words, 06/22/11
Greg Quill, Toronto Star: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...a brilliant, tender and compelling masterpiece.... The film works on every level because it's eminently believable..."(See all of Greg Quill's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 548 words, 07/15/11
Jennie Punter, Toronto Globe & Mail: VERY GOOD(cg) "Bichir delivers a powerful, nuanced performance as a stoic but complex character who treats everyone - even those who have wronged him - with a dignity he rarely receives."(See all of Jennie Punter's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 577 words, 07/15/11
Norman Wilner, Toronto Now: WEAK(cg) "...director Chris Weitz tries to reinvent himself as his generation's Stanley Kramer with 'A Better Life.' Stranger things have happened."(See all of Norman Wilner's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 237 words, 07/14/11
Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia Inquirer: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...a compassionate character study of a man modeling the values of heart, hard work, self-respect, and self-reliance to his spawn."(See all of Carrie Rickey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 432 words, 07/15/11
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel: MODERATE(cg) "Once you get past the cliched Spanglish dialogue and the sentimental tone of the early acts, 'A Better Life' settles down into something both involving and moving."(See all of Roger Moore's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 519 words, 06/26/11
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star-Tribune: VERY GOOD(cg) "Demian Bichir steals scenes by walking around looking very real, as though a normal human being had somehow sneaked into a gaggle of performers."(See all of Colin Covert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 423 words, 07/15/11
Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: EXCELLENT(cg) "...offers a look at the kind of life we too often see as caricature, as political fodder for one side or another. Demián Bichir's performance elevates the film above that..."(See all of Bill Goodykoontz's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 626 words, 07/08/11
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...a few too many coincidences provoke too much unearned emotion. But as movies go about East Los Angelenos stealing back their stuff, this one is sincere."(See all of Wesley Morris's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 516 words, 07/15/11
Stephen Whitty, New Jersey Star-Ledger: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...a little bit of 'The Bicycle Thief,' a little bit of a barrio melodrama, and little bit of the sort of do-good entertainment that used to be called 'a problem film.' "(See all of Stephen Whitty's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 554 words, 06/24/11
Amy Biancolli, San Francisco Chronicle: VERY GOOD(cg) "...isn't an instant classic, but it tells its story with a simplicity and compassion that other urban dramas would be wise to emulate."(See all of Amy Biancolli's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 293 words, 07/08/11
John Hartl, Seattle Times: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...one of the year's timeliest and most moving films... Rarely has the plight of illegal immigrants seemed so vital or complex."(See all of John Hartl's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 376 words, 07/15/11
Marc Mohan, Portland Oregonian: EXCELLENT(cg) "...what could have been another manifesto of liberal guilt is a genuinely moving tale of a father and son banding together in a hostile world."(See all of Marc Mohan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 241 words, 06/24/11
Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...unfolds like a fable instead of a believable slice of life.... Yet notwithstanding its modest scope, 'A Better Life' richly documents the life of an invisible man."(See all of Joe Williams's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 351 words, 07/15/11
Tom Long, Detroit News: EXCELLENT(cg) "The people here seem real, their world is shaky at best, and the political tension that permeates everything in this film feels palpable."(See all of Tom Long's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 333 words, 07/15/11
Rick Bentley, Miami Herald: VERY GOOD(cg) "...powerful as a simple touching family story and as a complicated examination of what many are facing in these hard economic times."(See all of Rick Bentley's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 368 words, 07/15/11
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (8 Reviews)
Melissa Anderson, Village Voice/LA Weekly: WEAK "...takes on the combustible topic of illegal immigration through the soft, safe focus of father-son bonding, with a heavy nod to 'The Bicycle Thief.' "(See all of Melissa Anderson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 222 words, 06/22/11
Tasha Robinson, AV Club: VERY GOOD(cg) "It's a familiar story retold in the form of another familiar story, but powerfully expressed emotions always feel fresh and vital in the moment..."(See all of Tasha Robinson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 442 words, 06/23/11
Ed Gonzalez, Slant: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...doesn't lack for integrity, educating its white audience on the desperation of living as an illegal in this country entirely from the perspective of its non-white characters..."(See all of Ed Gonzalez's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 423 words, 06/18/11
Norman Wilner, Toronto Now: WEAK(cg) "...director Chris Weitz tries to reinvent himself as his generation's Stanley Kramer with 'A Better Life.' Stranger things have happened."(See all of Norman Wilner's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 237 words, 07/14/11
Curt Holman, Atlanta Creative Loafing: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...builds on its rote, familiar early scenes of humble blue-collar life to movingly show how the American system can undermine dreams and family ties..."(See all of Curt Holman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 540 words, 07/21/11
HIGHBROW PRESS (2 Reviews)
Manohla Dargis, New York Times: VERY GOOD "...an emotionally resonant film about how we live now.... It tries to put a lump in your throat and a tear on your cheek (it succeeds)..."(See all of Manohla Dargis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 873 words, 06/24/11
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: WEAK "...should be a much better movie than it is, but emotions get in the way.... the film is weighted down by clichés. A pity, since the issues could hardly be more timely."(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 506 words, 06/24/11
MOVIE INDUSTRY (4 Reviews)
Justin Chang, Daily Variety: MODERATE "...despite Demian Bichir's affecting lead performance and a strong feel for Los Angeles' Mexican-American communities... an earnest and overly programmatic heart-tugger."(See all of Justin Chang's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 764 words, 06/15/11
Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter: VERY GOOD "...director Chris Weitz and screenwriter Eric Eason have crafted a little gem where humanity is observed with compassion, not condescension."(See all of Kirk Honeycutt's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 847 words, 06/15/11
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: WEAK "...should be a much better movie than it is, but emotions get in the way.... the film is weighted down by clichés. A pity, since the issues could hardly be more timely."(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 506 words, 06/24/11
Manohla Dargis, New York Times: VERY GOOD "...an emotionally resonant film about how we live now.... It tries to put a lump in your throat and a tear on your cheek (it succeeds)..."(See all of Manohla Dargis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 873 words, 06/24/11
18.6 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
A Better Life (2011)'s reviews are separated by an average 18.6 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
A Better Life (2011) (40 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:A Better Life (2011)'s reviews cover 69.2% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 17,346 words involume (average is 20,194 words). Length:The film's reviews average 434 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
A Better Life (2011) Coverage, Volume & Length (40 Reviews, reviews below)
Reviews Broke 3 Days After Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
A Better Life (2011)'s reviews on average broke 3 days after opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is A Better Life (2011)'s opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
A Better Life (2011) (40 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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