Bella

Executive Producer Steven McEveety (Braveheart, We Were Soldiers, Passion of the Christ) has put his efforts behind another sure winner, (this one without Mel Gibson)and with newcomer director/writer Alejandro Gomez Monteverde, and a cast of relatively unknown actors.

This is an intelligent and emotional film, with the action interwoven between flashbacks and the developing plot line. Because of this storytelling method, it is nearly impossible to give much detail of the story without a spoiler.

The movie centers around Nina, a young, unmarried waitress at a Mexican restaurant who finds herself pregnant and out of a job after coming in late to work several days because of morning sickness. Jose, the restaurant's chef, is taken by Nina's plight and becomes her sole confidant. Jose helps her walk through her decision on what to do with her pregnancy. In the process, he bears secrets from his own mysterious past, which reveal his tenderness and passion for her and the child she is carrying.

The film stars Eduardo Verastegui (the Mexican Brad Pitt), and Tammy Blanchard, each performing in only in their second movie role. They are excellent both individually and in their interactions with each other. You're sure to see more from both of these rising stars.

A believable script, quality acting, and effective cinematography, music, and sound kept my attention from start to finish. I had no expectations from this film and came away truly impacted--A very powerful piece of cinema. No wonder this rookie work shocked all the big name pictures to win the top prize at Toronto Film Festival.

Latest word is that it is set for release in April 2007. And don't be surprised to see this one in the running for one or more Oscars.

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.

I went to the Toronto Film Festival and was looking forward to seeing J-lo's new flick as well as Brad Pitts and Sean Penn's new films as I heard one of those were probably going to win the Oscar bound Peoples choice award at the festival.I screened this unknown movie Bella in Toronto at the Film Festival because I was given a ticket to see it. After seeing the film and participating in a standing ovation with everyone else who saw it and being almost as moved by the touching Q and A afterwards I remember leaving that theater thinking that in a just world that film and those producers would walk away with every award...when I found out that it actually did...that it beat all those other films and that it is now on Oscar's radar I actually felt good about the world in general and the movie industry in particular.

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!

BELLA is a poignant portrayal of love-conquers-all that runs the gamut from spellbinding to uplifting with a firm but gentle hand as the writer tells a tale of fallen dreams that breathes life into a dying world where family, faith, and friends are re-discovered and claimed as the "ties that bind." The captivating cast as well as the crew embody the very essence of family life among the Latino community yet the writing is so cleverly crafted that it transcends the tumult and transition of recovering from shattered spirits in any family of any ethnic background. The "realness" of the plot and characters makes you feel like you're in the middle of every scene!