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Bread and Roses backdrop

Bread and Roses

2000·Comedy·1h 50m
7.0
★
Quick-witted young Maya comes over the Mexican border without papers and makes her way to the LA home of her older sister Rosa. Rosa gets Maya a job as a janitor: a non-union janitorial service has the contract, the profane supervisor can fire workers on a whim, and the service-workers' union has assigned organiser Sam Shapiro to bring its 'justice for janitors' campaign to the building. Sam finds Maya a willing listener, she's also attracted to him. Rosa resists, she has an ailing husband to consider. The workers try for public support; management intimidates workers to divide and conquer. Rosa and Maya as well as workers and management may be set to collide.
Directed by Ken Loach
janitor
security guard
labor organizer
labor union
social realism
YouTube
Trailer
IMDB
IMDB
N/A

Cast

Pilar Padilla
Pilar Padilla
Maya
Adrien Brody
Adrien Brody
Sam Shapiro
Jack McGee
Jack McGee
Bert
Lillian Hurst
Lillian Hurst
Anna
Elpidia Carrillo
Elpidia Carrillo
Rosa
George López
George López
Perez
Blake Clark
Blake Clark
Mr. Griffin
Gigi Jackman
Gigi Jackman
Dolores
Yelena Antonenko
Yelena Antonenko
Maria
Sherman Augustus
Sherman Augustus
Ernest
Pepe Serna
Pepe Serna
Restaurateur
Tom Gilroy
Tom Gilroy
Director of Campaigns

Crew

Ken Loach
Ken Loach
Director
Paul Laverty
Paul Laverty
Writer
George Fenton
George Fenton
Original Music Composer
Barry Ackroyd
Barry Ackroyd
Director of Photography
Richard Hicks
Richard Hicks
Casting
Ronnie Yeskel
Ronnie Yeskel
Casting
Haskell Wexler
Haskell Wexler
Second Assistant Camera

Popular Reviews

32 reviews
Tapes
Tapes
9.0★ · 03/06/26
Bread and Roses
Sufrimiento pero también victoria de la clase trabajadora
Sufrimiento pero también victoria de la clase trabajadora
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alicia
alicia
8.0★ · 03/06/26
Bread and Roses
✊🏻💋
✊🏻💋
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ele
ele
10.0★ · 02/11/26
Bread and Roses
Adam Brody the man you are
(btw i loved the movie)
Adam Brody the man you are
(btw i loved the movie)
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vic
vic
Bread and Roses
¡venceremos! ¡arriba la unión! ¡sí se puede!

really moved me as someone who's mum is a domestic worker in fairly shite conditions BUT she is a very active member of her union, so made me feel a bit hopefully!

this was fantastic! you can always count on mr to make a powerful picture that represents the people! there were some very heartbreaking moments, but also some moments like the protest that made systemic change feel possible! 

loses a star bc the romance felt a bit unnecessary and was only really pushed to make it palatable but also adrien brody is extremely dishy in this, therefore i don't blame maya
¡venceremos! ¡arriba la unión! ¡sí se puede!

really moved me as someone who's mum is a domestic worker in fairly shite conditions BUT she is a very active member of her union, so made me feel a bit hopefully!

this was fantastic! you can always count on mr to make a powerful picture that represents the people! there were some very heartbreaking moments, but also some moments like the protest that made systemic change feel possible! 

loses a star bc the romance felt a bit unnecessary and was only really pushed to make it palatable but also adrien brody is extremely dishy in this, therefore i don't blame maya
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AngelEyes
AngelEyes
6.0★ · 11/26/25
Bread and Roses
I had to watch this movie for my university seminar and I have to say it’s no more no less than an okay film with decent themes and messaging but a pretty incoherent and disconnected story and poor character building. Theoretically there’s something to dig into regarding migrant work, worker’s rights, and exploitation as well as the exploitation of women but it’s not exactly the best or most exciting story with the main outliers being Adrien Brody and Elpidia Carrillo in terms of performances.
I had to watch this movie for my university seminar and I have to say it’s no more no less than an okay film with decent themes and messaging but a pretty incoherent and disconnected story and poor character building. Theoretically there’s something to dig into regarding migrant work, worker’s rights, and exploitation as well as the exploitation of women but it’s not exactly the best or most exciting story with the main outliers being Adrien Brody and Elpidia Carrillo in terms of performances.
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Bread and Roses (2000) | Flick