Bella

This film is due for release in April 2007. Any reviews prior to this date (including this one) are from people who saw it at a film festival or at a pre-screening like I did. The one I attended had a question and answer session at the end along with a handout that asked people to help promote the film by writing positive reviews. Make no mistake; this is a Catholic-inspired movie with an unabashed pro-life message.

In the beginning, a very hirsute Jose, looking very much like my conception of Jesus Christ (I actually found this rather distracting and Eduardo Verastegui looks nothing at all like he does in the main promotional poster), is working as a chef in his brother's Mexican restaurant in New York City. His co-worker, Nina, is unmarried and finds herself pregnant, late for work, and consequently unemployed. The two then spend the day together and Jose, as a friend, is both consoling and supportive as she comes to terms with the decisions she must make.

Although slow in parts, the acting is believable, the script intelligent (albeit with some odd bits and a few things that didn't make much sense), and the cinematography remarkable. And the message, although not subtle, is not overbearing. If you are Christian, and especially if you are pro-life, you will love this film. And even if you're not it may well bring a tear to your eye. After all, it did win the People's Choice award at the Toronto Film Festival in 2006.

Having heard that this film won at Toronto, I was anxious to see it. Although it has not yet been widely released, I was fortunate to attend at a recent sneak preview and found it to be incredibly refreshing and subtly powerful. Stylistically, newcomer director Alejandro Monteverde does a superb job pacing the story -- combining just the right amounts of character, humor, and mystery into a package that satisfies on multiple levels -- intellectually, visually, emotionally, symbolically, etc. The photography -- shot in and around the streets of Manhattan and Long Island -- is top notch, reminding me of James Crabe's amazing cinematography along the streets of Philadelphia in Rocky (1977)....and the editing, relying heavily on jump cuts, keeps the story moving along in multiple time frames to great effect.

The actors all shine in their roles, particularly Mexican superstar Eduardo Verástegui and Tammy Blanchard, who portray their particularly complex relationship -- between a cook and a waitress in a Mexican restaurant -- with finesse. Additionally, the filmmakers do an excellent job presenting Hispanic culture in a manner that shatters the ridiculous stereotypes that are often presented in mainstream television and film. The scenes taking place at the cook's Hispanic parents' house are particularly funny, charming, and poignant. Also, the film portrays some very powerful emotional moments that have tremendous staying power long after leaving the theater.

In short, this is subtly powerful film that everyone should see.

I had the privilege of catching a sneak-peak of Bella before it won the Tronto Film Festival, followed by a Q&A with the director and some of the cast members. I cannot stress how very humble and real they all are. As for the film, being from the Midwest, I've watched TV all my life. Flipping channels it's funny how you stumble across films that you don't think anyone has ever heard of; but later you grow to realize that that one film, that one film you watched late one Thursday night, made such a difference in the way you chose to carry yourself through life that you became a part of it, and it a part of you. You don't know why, but for some reason, you just needed to see it: Bella is that film.

I was deeply moved by Bella! It's a movie with great heart and a fantastic cast. The acting blew me away! Eduardo Verastegui and Tammy Blanchard played well together. Who ever did the casting did a phenomenal job! I was at a Q&A and Tammy Blanchard was given flowers- she was very sincere and seemed deeply touched. It's nice to see good characters on screen but who would of thought they are good characters in real life too. I left the theater feeling truly touched and inspired because of the movie and the Q&A! I enjoyed the cinematography and the music was well picked. In fact, I can't wait for the music CD of Bella to come out! I really enjoyed this movie- it was beautiful!

I thought this was a surprisingly-good "chick flick" until the final 15 minutes when it got ultra-weeping "Lifetime Network" on us, but overall is a film which should appeal to a lot of people. Yes, it's pure melodrama but: ladies, it's so well done that it should keep your husband or boyfriend interested most of the way.

This also is beautifully photographed. Man, for a small-budget independent film with basically no-name actors, this has all the visual slickness of a Spielberg film. Also, the food in here looks so good it will have you salivating.

The main ingredient in this award-winning film is "charm," I would think. Everyone is pretty likable, there's a lot of emotion and the characters are very realistic. If you elaborated on the story, it might sound extremely boring because mainly it's a day in the life of two people. They both work in a restaurant and she gets fired for being late again and he goes after her to see if she's okay. As the day goes on, the two work out past traumas with the ending being a tear-jerker feel-good one.

For a film in which most viewers probably aren't familiar with the director or the actors, it is impressive. What's odd about this film, in addition to being interesting despite almost nothing going on, is that there is absolutely no profanity or sex, either. I suppose some could look at this movie as some sappy do-gooder type story, but it isn't. It's so professionally done that you kind of feel like a fly on the wall, content to just observing and being a part of these people's lives for a day.