Chris Weitz. Who would have thought it? This is the guy who directed produced (and virtually directed) American Pie. Who adapted and directed (and then didn’t direct, and the directed again) the less-than-successful The Golden Compass. This is the guy who directed the sequel to Twilight, for pity’s sake. Who would have thought he would write and direct a lovely, smart, sensitive, authentic movie about low-income Latinos trying to live right in this hard, hard world?
But he did.
It’s had a hell of a time getting distribution, and even now it’s receiving only a limited release, but by all accounts this is a quiet little gem of a film. Everyone – everyone – who worked on it is proud to have been there; they’ll sit you down and tell you just how good it is. And maybe it’s only because Weitz has made so many commercially successful films –some of them, like About a Boy, actually good as well as successful – that he was able to put together this quiet, intense little gem.
Hollywood should be making lovely little movies like this all the time – every week. The sad fact is, A Better Life is as rare as it is beautiful. So see it. Enjoy it. Spread the word. This is what we’re talking about when we say, “Celebrating Latinos in front and behind the camera.” And in the meantime, check out the trailer…http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi105093657/
