Official Synopsis:
A motion picture masterpiece, Bella became the #1 top-rated movie of 2007 and is one of the most honored films of the year - winning the highly coveted People's Choice Award at the Toronto Film Festival, Best Picture and Best Actor at the 2008 MovieGuide Awards from the Smithsonian Institute's Latino Center. Bella is a powerful and moving, utterly unique story that will lift your spirits and capture your heart! An international soccer star (Eduardo Verastequi) is on his way to sign a multimillion dollar contract when a series of events unfold that brings his career to an abrupt end. A beautiful waitress (Tammy Blanchard), struggling to make it in New York City, discovers something about herself that she's unprepared for. In one irreversible moment, their lives are turned upside down... until a simple gesture of kindness brings them both together, turning an ordinary day into an unforgettable experience.

  
Our Take:
I had no idea what to expect going into Bella, but the DVD cover was quick to trumpet the numerous awards it’s won and its “top-rated movie of 2007” status. Most of these seem a bit like marketing hype to me, but the fact of the matter is that Bella is a very good film. Despite the cover art, the film isn’t a romantic comedy; it is, to be sure, a drama, and a fairly heavy one at that. However, anchored by lead actors who sparkle in their roles and the sure-handed direction of Alejandro Monteverde, it’s a serious film that never gets bogged down in melodrama or self-importance.

The story deals with events that change people’s lives and how two people can come together over said events. To say more would be to give away some of the important elements of the story, but this isn’t really a plot-driven film. It’s a character study of the best kind, with strong leading characters and memorable supporting characters. I’m not entirely sure what the demographic for the movie is, as I don’t usually like these kinds of dramas, but I did enjoy Bella. I guess if you just like films about people, then Bella has something to offer you.

The DVD comes with some nice extra features, including:

* Audio Commentary with Director Alejandro Monteverde.
* Behind-the-Scenes Featurette.
* Behind the Journey of Distribution Featurette.
* Exclusive Alejandro Sanz Music Video.
* Theatrical Trailer and TV Spot.

Bella is a good little movie that is enjoyable largely for the performances and direction, but it works as a whole overall. All the individual pieces add up to an impressive film, and I’ll be very interested to see what director Monteverde works on next.

Overall Picture:
Movie: B+
DVD: B

- Mike Spring

Editor