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Home > Movies > Reviews > 2007

Bella
Review by Frederica Mathewes-Green | posted 10/26/2007

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It's a film full of love and a celebration of life

About the only flaw in the film became clear to me as the end drew near: The characters just were never going to get any deeper than they are. It's a good story and the ending wasn't what I expected—but by that point I expected something more or less along those lines. It's a bit pat, I'd say. The characters harbor no ambiguities; when the credits roll, we can feel sure that we've learned all there is to know about them. Despite that minor disappointment, the ending still brought tears to my eyes, and left me feeling awed and grateful for the beauty of family.

I can see why the film won a standing ovation and the People's Choice Award at the Toronto Film Festival. If Bella affects others the way it did me, that's only the first in a long line of awards that are coming its way.

Talk About It

Discussion starters

Nina and José talk about the families they grew up in. Which is more like your own family of origin? Which kind of family do you think is more common?
At the turning point of José's story, his manager gives him advice that could save his career. How might José's life been different if he had taken that advice?
We see many delicious meals prepared in this film. Why do you think the director chose to repeat these images of painstaking care in the cooking and presenting of food? What bearing does it have on the film's theme? When was the last time someone prepared a meal for you this carefully?

The Family Corner

For parents to consider

Bella is rated PG-13 for thematic elements and brief disturbing images. There is a car accident scene, and we see some very distressed characters, as well as a bloody victim of the crash. Though this is brief, it may be disturbing for young children. Additionally, the themes and pacing are probably too "mature" for younger kids, though there's some great discussion fodder for early teens and up.

Photos © Copyright Metanoia Films

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Jinny Brow

Posted: March 29, 2009 12:19 AM

I watched this snoozer of a film based on CT's recommendation but I don't agree with what you said about family: It definitely did NOT leave "me feeling awed and grateful for the beauty of family." Instead Bella, the film's namesake, was adopted into a single-parent home in what looks (though it is unclear) like an "open adoption". Having participated in one, I can tell you that they are fraught with serious problems that bleed over onto the adopted children and lead to anything but feelings of security and unconditional love. I'm glad some babies have been saved by this film's pro-life message but I hardly think we need to encourage adoption by singel parents. Research is clear that children do best in 2-parent families.

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