Common threads

'Bella' plays universal themes beautifully

Moviegoers are lumped into categories, demographics that define who they are, and therefore what they will pay to see. There are movies that target an age range, a race, a gender, or even a hobby.

Bella is not one of those movies. Bella speaks to the parts of life that everyone shares; love, food, music, and family. The things that are enjoyed most in the company of others. Bella follows the whimsical day of a waitress and a chef whose lives become intertwined through human compassion. Jose (Eduardo Verástegui) makes a rare effort to console his former co-worker Nina (Tammy Blanchard) and winds up finding some closure himself. Jose is a man wrought with shame from an accident in his past; Nina is walking into a decision about whether to take on motherhood that will change her life permanently. Verástegui (who is a popular Mexican telenovela star), delivers a gripping performance. He carries himself as a man would who could never forgive his past mistakes. Blanchard plays a real woman, the kind one would expect to meet and love. It is easy to feel the compassion for Nina that Jose exhibits.

The movie’s approach to visual imagery echoes the semi-chronological recollections of our memories. The actors portray the weight of their shame, their pain, and their loss with an honesty that is both beautiful and unsettling.

All images copyright © 2007 Roadside Attractions

One thing to look out for: some new decor ideas from Jose’s father (Jaime Tirelli), whose character crafts some very intriguing portable lamps that I wouldn’t be surprised to see pop up in a Brookstone catalog. 

The family relationship is strong and positive in Bella. It demonstrates the love and frustration that any family comes to rely on. This is a film I could go and see with anyone, any friend, any family member, any demographic.