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Bread and Roses

  • 2000
  • R
  • 1h 50m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
6.3K
YOUR RATING
Bread and Roses (2000)
Psychological DramaWorkplace DramaDrama

Two Latina sisters work as cleaners in a downtown office building, and fight for the right to unionize.Two Latina sisters work as cleaners in a downtown office building, and fight for the right to unionize.Two Latina sisters work as cleaners in a downtown office building, and fight for the right to unionize.

  • Director
    • Ken Loach
  • Writer
    • Paul Laverty
  • Stars
    • Pilar Padilla
    • Adrien Brody
    • Elpidia Carrillo
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.0/10
    6.3K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Ken Loach
    • Writer
      • Paul Laverty
    • Stars
      • Pilar Padilla
      • Adrien Brody
      • Elpidia Carrillo
    • 56User reviews
    • 38Critic reviews
    • 57Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 5 wins & 10 nominations total

    Photos17

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    Top cast54

    Edit
    Pilar Padilla
    • Maya
    Adrien Brody
    Adrien Brody
    • Sam Shapiro
    Elpidia Carrillo
    Elpidia Carrillo
    • Rosa
    Jack McGee
    Jack McGee
    • Bert
    Monica Rivas
    • Simona
    Frankie Davila
    • Luis
    • (as Frank Davila)
    Lillian Hurst
    Lillian Hurst
    • Anna
    Mayron Payes
    • Ben
    Maria Orellana
    • Berta
    Melody Garrett
    • Cynthia
    Gigi Jackman
    • Dolores
    Beverly Reynolds
    • Ella
    Eloy Méndez
    • Juan
    • (as Eloy Mendez)
    Yelena Antonenko
    • Maria
    Olga Gorelik
    • Olga
    Jesus Perez
    • Oscar
    Alonso Chavez
    • Ruben
    Estela Maeda
    • Teresa
    • Director
      • Ken Loach
    • Writer
      • Paul Laverty
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews56

    7.06.2K
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    Featured reviews

    10martinigirl13

    Of Bread and Roses

    As the daughter of hard-working Mexican immigrant parents and having been raised in one of Los Angeles' poorest barrios, I often saw the story of Rosa and Maya being played out in real life within my family and amongst my neighbors. The authenticity with which this story is told is astounding, showing a deep respect for those who in search of a way to make an honest living, subject themselves to countless humiliations and are relegated to live outside the margins of mainstream America.

    Kudos to the writers!! This is the first time I have ever seen an American film in which the dialogue in Spanish was written by someone who actually speaks the language and can grasp the nuances and feeling of the language so perfectly. Richard Hicks is to be commended for casting both Elpidia Carrillo and Pilar Padilla in the roles of Rosa and Maya, respectively. They deliver their dialogue, especially in Spanish, with an emotion and passion that is rarely seen on the Hollywood silver screen. Needless to say, Bread and Roses is now on my list of must-have-films to add to my DVD library.
    9tenten76

    A brilliant, emotional film.

    I have a deep sympathy & connection with this movie, because two of my dearest friends were Spanish-speaking cleaners in the UK (although completely legally). Now - through ridiculously hard work and frugal living - they are bilingual, educated, skilled, and making a decent life back in their home country, where I hope to visit them one day.

    As such, I can tell you that this film is so true-to-life it brought tears to my eyes. It also has moments of laughter and comedy, and an extremely important message to anyone working for low wages and low respect, and an equally important kick up the backside to people like me who never think we're paid enough, and forget about the 'invisible' people earning half our wages for doing twice the workload.

    The actors (many of them cleaners in real life) are never less than excellent, and you have no trouble believing every scene. I encourage anyone to watch this movie, as it has an almost Shawshank-like feelgood factor, but is much more poignant and relevant than even that great film.

    The additional programme on the DVD is not as informative as I expected (being more 'fly-on-the-wall' than documentary), but still packs a powerful emotional punch, and really adds to your appreciation of the reality behind the movie.
    dtb

    Brody's Appeal Perks Up This NORMA RAE for Hispanic Janitors

    As Sam Shapiro, a labor activist who helps Hispanic janitors in an L.A. office building to form a union, Brody's blend of earnestness and mischief really livens up this well-meaning, sometimes moving, occasionally didactic Ken Loach film. Brody's beard and bedhead make him look especially cuddly; no wonder engaging heroine Pilar Padilla eventually drags him into a closet for some hot and heavy nookie! :-) (My husband also remarked that all that hair made Brody's prominent proboscis look, well, less prominent -- not that Brody's noble nose ever bothered me, thank you very much! :-).
    9tommyg

    Just Experience It and Enjoy

    When I attended a screening a week ago sponsored by a local public supported radio station (KPFK) in Los Angeles, I was not certain if this film was a documentary or typical crafted Hollywood-style hyperbole since I listened with half an ear while jogging and listening to an opportunity to attend.

    Who would have thought that a simple discussion on a local public supported radio station in Los Angeles (KPFK) a few years ago would compel a screenwriter (Paul Laverty) to visit a union organizing effort in downtown Los Angeles (circa 1999) resulting in a film that was drama, comedy, farce, fear, compassion and a taste of dusted immigrants creeping through Tijuana-to-USA shrubs to gain entry via the abusive "coyotes" human smuggler routes. Most of these immigrants land in day-worker situations and low pay and yet Los Angeles would collapse without them. This film concentrates on the downtown office area -- owned and occupied by the elite of Los Angeles establishment - and where many undocumented workers toil under conditions that are far less than that suggested by international Human Rights standards.

    This was a polished non-Hollywood-capability-film but yet intimately Los Angeles. I listened to an interview yesterday on KPFK with Laverty and learned that funding was elsewhere - Europe I recall - not 'Hollywood'. And Laverty is from Scotland. One would never guess that the film was actually on the low-budget scale when compared with Hollywood's pleasure to spend big dollars.

    I also learned that the film was made in 30-days (hence the vibrant interaction of all cast members and energetic direction by Loach) and is in release this week with 30 prints in Los Angeles, and 300 nationwide USA. Sounds like some symmetry there and potential Lottery pick permutations.

    My only reservation is that the story is highly political in an undercurrent nature and may frighten an extensive audience --- unless the viewers just take the courage to go, watch, and enjoy. The film will do the rest. The viewer will leave with more than the cost of a matinee price ticket.

    I also suggest that in an upcoming meeting between Vicente Fox, President of Mexico, and George W. Bush, President of United States, that Vicente snag a copy of the film and show it to George while sipping tea in Texas. And then for dessert, sip more tea and watch "Traffic".
    6antoniotierno

    under the expectations

    Same typical themes handled in Loach's work. I felt something strange, while watching it, maybe the San Diegan locations might be strange to the fans used to seeing English and Scottish cities. Nevertheless I couldn't say the effort of observation and insight doesn't work; the young Mexican gal propelled by the American dream is very believable, the unknown cast acts with passion, expressing the various faces of injustice and biases migrants must endure. However, my final opinion on the movie is that it fails to illustrate the real situations these kind of people live in and their genuine feelings, that is the Ken Loach's peculiarity.

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    Bread & Roses

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Prior to filming, Adrien Brody did undercover research as a union member in Los Angeles. He went to conventions and sat in on strike talks. A couple of the members recognized him, but Brody persuaded them not to blow his cover.
    • Quotes

      Sam: We want bread. But we want roses too.

    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert: A Knight's Tale/Angel Eyes/About Adam/The King Is Alive/Bread and Roses (2001)

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    FAQ19

    • How long is Bread and Roses?Powered by Alexa
    • A NOTE ABOUT SPOILERS

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 25, 2000 (France)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • France
      • Germany
      • Spain
      • Italy
      • Switzerland
    • Official site
      • Channel Four Television (United Kingdom)
    • Languages
      • English
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • Pan y rosas
    • Filming locations
      • Edward L. Doheny Jr. Memorial Library, University of Southern California - 3550 Trousdale Parkway, Los Angeles, California, USA(Ruben and Maya meet up)
    • Production companies
      • Parallax Pictures
      • ARD Degeto Film
      • ARTE
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $533,479
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $49,662
      • May 13, 2001
    • Gross worldwide
      • $706,876
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 50 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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