Twilight Director Chris Weitz's A Better Life Trailer Drops

Most people know Chris Weitz from his directorial work on Twilight: New Moon, American Pie and The Golden Compass, but he was also brilliant as the lead opposite Mike White in the underseen Chuck and Buck. Personally, I'd like to see him act a little more, but if it comes at the expense of time in the director's chair, I'm not sure I could support it. When given the right subject matter, see About A Boy, he's more than capable, and his newest is looking like his best offering yet.

Entitled A Better Life, it's the story of an immigrant and his son trying to rise the social ladder. The father, played by Demian Bichir, has his prized truck stolen, but without a license, he can't turn to the police. His son agrees to help him find it, but he spends most of his energies wrestling between the life his father wants for him and the local hoodlums offering the promises of a better life. Here's a look at the trailer put up this afternoon by The Los Angeles Times, click over there for even more on the film…

There aren't enough nice things I can say about this trailer. Moving and well put together, it's the right balance between action, plot and quiet exchanges, giving the viewer a good sense of the story without rehashing blow by blow. There are plenty of other genres I'd take ahead of immigrant stories, which may be why I was so pleasantly surprised by how brilliant this looks. Demian Bichir was wonderful in Weeds, but here, playing a different kind of role, he really seems to shine, as does Jose Julian as his goodhearted but confused son.

There's no telling how wide of a release this will eventually get, but if the final product is half as good as this trailer, A Better Life deserves to make its way outside Los Angeles and New York.