Bella (2006) wrestles with big questions (movie review)

Sooner or later every one of us will face an irreversible moment that will change our lives forever. If it hasn’t happened to you yet… it will. BELLA is a true love story about how one day in New York City changed three people forever.

Bella starts off with Jose (played by Eduardo Verástegui) sitting on a beach watching a young girl play in the waves. He then flashes back his memories of two days that changed his life.

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Overview of Bella

On the first day, he had just had his dreams of becoming a big soccer star come true; with his manager, he was going to sign a multi-million dollar contract with a soccer team. Then the accident that ends his career happens.

Five years later, Jose is a chef in his brother Manny’s restaurant, a quiet, passionless man still living in the memories of that day. Nina (played by Tammy Blanchard) is one of Manny’s waitresses. As Manny (played by Manny Perez) prepares his restaurant and staff for a big day, she is late for work. It’s the third time this has happened, so when she arrives, Manny fires her—without bothering to find out the reason she’s been sick and late.

Jose follows Nina out of the restaurant and spends the day wandering New York with her, listening to her talk about her problems. She’s a single, pregnant, unemployed woman in New York. It seems only one option is open to her: abortion.

The end of Bella returns to Jose on the beach, some four or five years after that fateful day. It is an expected and yet unexpected ending that completely fit this beautiful story.

My thoughts on Bella

Jose seemed a Christ-figure to me, in more ways that his beard and gentle expression. While Manny sees the people in his restaurant simply as employees, Jose knows them and their problems. His compassion for Nina leads him to risk his own job to help her out, just as Jesus would have reached out to the many women who asked for His help.

This movie wrestles with some big issues and does a good job of it. If you haven’t see it yet, I heartily recommend it.

I had the privilege of seeing “Bella” at the Toronto Film Festival and was amazed by this beautiful love story! After i heard the buzz about this little film i decided to go see it with out knowing what to expect and i was blown away. … Our screening ended in a standing ovation and the Q&A went so long that the moderator had to cut it off. The performances were incredible and the directing was remarkable. It was a powerful experience with a lot of unexpected twists and turns… especially the ending. It is amazing that this little film beat out all of this years Oscar hopefuls to get the most coveted Award at Toronto but it could not have happened to a better film. Congrats! ~ IMDB review