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Bread and Roses

Bread and Roses

The Balance of Power Is About to Change

20006.31h 50m

Overview

Maya is a quick-witted young woman who 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 foul-mouthed supervisor can fire workers on a whim, and the service-workers' union has assigned organizer 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
Written by Paul Laverty
Produced by Rebecca O'Brien
Box OfficeBudget: $5.5MRevenue: $707K

Top Cast

Pilar Padilla

Pilar Padilla

Maya

Adrien Brody

Adrien Brody

Sam Shapiro

Jack McGee

Jack McGee

Bert

M

Monica Rivas

Simona

F

Frankie Davila

Luis

Lillian Hurst

Lillian Hurst

Anna

M

Maria Orellana

Berta

M

Melody Garrett

Cynthia

Elpidia Carrillo

Elpidia Carrillo

Rosa

George López

George López

Perez

Themes & Keywords

janitorsecurity guardlabor organizerlabor unionsocial realism

About Bread and Roses

Bread and Roses is a comedy, drama film released in 2000 exploring themes of janitor, security guard, labor organizer, labor union, social realism. Directed by Ken Loach, it stars Pilar Padilla, Adrien Brody, Jack McGee. Maya is a quick-witted young woman who 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 foul-mouthed supervisor can fire workers on a whim, and the service-workers' union has assigned organizer 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.

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