DVD Reviews
DVD Review: Bella
By June L.
May 14, 2008, 15:22 GMT

We get so caught up in plans for our lives, it seems that we never realize how fragile or how changeable existence can be.  It is hard to believe that just a single moment alters everything.  Bella is a film that takes two such moments in two separate lives and shows how something good can come even though the expected paths are greatly changed.

Jose a world class soccer player having signed a big contract is ready to move up in the world.  A single moment changes his fate, and now he is a chef in his brother’s restaurant.  Nina a young waitress in the same restaurant has just earned her “third strike” by being late to work, and Manny fires her.

Jose recognizes the distress in her eyes and walks out during lunch hour to follow and see if he can help.  What happens is a day where Nina and Jose become close friends, sharing the secrets that have caused their pain, and forging a bond that is the saving grace for both. 

This film has an enormous emotional impact on the viewer.  The stories are not presented in a chronological order, but we see flashes of present day and past in relation to Jose’s life.  Nina’s is more present moment, but it takes awhile to see what her problem and how she views it are affecting her thoughts. 

In the meantime, we meet Jose’s wonderful family, his flaky younger brother and his parents who have such love and wisdom concerning their children.  When the secrets are told, Jose and Nina realize that if they share the pain, it will make things better for both of them. 

This is a delicately beautiful story, with some tough bits to get through, much like life itself, and the message to share with others to find solace for our pain is strongly presented.  Yes life hands out some thwarting moments, but if one finds another person to talk with who truly understands, then the battle is often won, and something good may even be a result.

Bella is presented on single disc in widescreen format with a playing time of 91 minutes.  It comes loaded with special features, audio commentary with Director Alejandro Monteverde, a behind the scnenes featurette, a featurette about the distribution of the film, an Alejandro Sanz music video, and the theatrical trailer. The audio is in English with English and Spanish subtitles available.

With so many films focusing on the dark and depressing descent of humans faced with challenging situations, this film offers hope and something better.  Bella is the name, and bella it is in story and performances.

Bella is now available at Amazon. As of yet, this version of the DVD is not available in the UK. Visit the DVD database for more information.