New York: Nina (Tammy Blanchard) is late for her work at a high-pressure restaurant for the third time in a week, prompting boss Manny (Manny Perez) to fire her. Manny’s brother Jose (Eduardo Verastegui), who works as a chef at the restaurant, sees Maria being dismissed, and impulsively abandons his post in the kitchen to follow her down the street to make sure that she’s okay. It turns out that Nina was late to work because of morning sickness, and has just found out about her pregnancy. Jose’s act of kindness and Nina’s disclosure create an instant bond between the two, and it’s the start of a mutually redemptive relationship.
Bella is a traditional tearjerker (pro-choice audiences might find it too traditional), elevated by an excellent performance from Tammy Blanchard but let down by an odd structure, a predictable flashback sequence revealing a secret from Jose’s past, and some grating stylistic choices.
Major impediments to comfortable viewing are the shaky camerawork and constant cutting, especially in the film’s first half-hour. At times, it really does take some resolve not to look away from the screen, as the frantic filming and editing style can make you feel seasick. It’s nice to see director Monteverde attempting to take a new, different approach to the tearjerker genre, but in the end, it’s just completely inappropriate to the material.
The film at least looks good the photography is gorgeous throughout, with every frame drenched in soft, bright, warm colours. If there’s a criticism here, it’s that the visuals are so relentlessly pleasant and stylish that they take on a life of their own, with some unwanted effects – in particular, one cookery sequence is reminiscent of the title montage of Come Dine With Me, which does disrupt the mood somewhat.
Overall Verdict: A well-meaning but not entirely successful weepie.
Special Features:
Audio Commentary with director Alejandro Gomez Monteverde
Behind-the-scenes featurette
Behind the journey of Distribution featurette
Theatrical trailer
Spanish and English subtitles
Reviewer: Tom René