A Better Life

"A Better Life" has a point to make, specifically a political point to make- and that could be the death of any independent film. It is a credit to the film that it isn't heavy-handed or didactic. It sticks to the basic tenants of good story-telling and in doing so the film accomplishes what it sets out to do, namely telling an illegal immigrant story from the POV of the immigrant.
Demian Bishir plays Carlos Galindo, a hardworking Dad and resident of L.A. who is here illegaly. Hardworking-Dad-illegal, in that order. They are the three things that define his life. His 14 year old son is dodging the pitfalls of gangs and teen stupidity. It's a hard life but an honest one, apart from their immigration status. Carlos is a good person who has to hide like he was a bad person. His dream is for a better life for his son but that dream is a house of cards.
"A Better Life" does an excellent job showing the hidden and stress-filled world that illegals must navigate and the assumptions that the authorities go to automatically when they deal with them. There is a great scene where Carlos' son is made to strip to the waist in order to photograph his gang tats. They're shocked to find that he doesn't have any.
This is a film with a narrow focus. It doesn't concern itself with grand political statements, only with a Dad and his son. It may be a bit simplistic in that respect but the character of its characters make it a good watch and a cautionary tale.
As a side note Demian Bichir's Oscar nomination (well-deserved) is why the Oscars (and in this case the SAG Awards) continue to rate high on the integrity scale. This film and performance might have been easy to overlook and that would have been a shame.