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Bella
Roadside Attractions

7.9 based on 18 reviews Read critic reviews How did we calculate this? based on 25 votes Read user comments Rate this movie

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MPAA RATING: PG-13 for thematic elements and brief disturbing images

Starring Eduardo Verástegui, Tammy Blanchard, Manny Perez, Ali Landry, Angélica Aragón, Jaime Tirelli, and Ramon Rodriguez

Bella is a love story that goes much deeper than romance. A story about a man who gave up his life to save the girl he loved, Bella is a heartwarming story that celebrates life, love, family, and relationships. Starring Mexican superstar Eduardo Verastegui (Chasing Papi), who is known as the "Brad Pitt of Latin America," and Emmy Award-winning actress Tammy Blanchard (The Good Shepherd), Bella is inspired by a true story that shows how one day in New York City changed three people’'s lives forever. (Metanoia Films)

GENRE(S):	Drama
WRITTEN BY:	Leo Severino Patrick Million Alejandro Gomez Monteverde
DIRECTED BY:	Alejandro Gomez Monteverde
RELEASE DATE:	DVD: May 6, 2008  Theatrical: October 26, 2007
RUNNING TIME:	91 minutes, Color
ORIGIN:	Mexico / USA
LANGUAGE(S):	English / Spanish

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

75

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

The movie is a little more lightweight than the usual People's Choice Award winner at Toronto, but why not? It was the best-liked film at the 2006 festival, and I can understand that.

75

New York Post Lou Lumenick

Cynics need not apply, but I found Bella a real heart tugger.

75

San Francisco Chronicle Ruthe Stein

A tearjerker that earns its sobs with heartfelt emotions.

70

Chicago Reader Jonathan Rosenbaum

May have more heart than head, but it's also just as interesting for what it leaves out of its romantic story as for what it retains.

67

Austin Chronicle Marc Savlov

Bella is, indeed, a beautiful film. The bustling, cab-crowded thoroughfares of New York City have rarely looked as inviting and the coastline as momentously beachy as they do in this film.

50

TV Guide Ken Fox

Well-acted first-feature.

50

Variety Robert Koehler

Mexican-born helmer Alejandro Monteverde's debut will be remembered as a curious case of a mediocre film that wows crowds.

50

Chicago Tribune Tasha Robinson

The melodrama and cheap theatrics of the story’s off-center segments drag the whole thing down.

50

Los Angeles Times Gary Goldstein

Certainly a sweet, life-affirming picture, but it's just not authentic or captivating enough to justify its wildly concocted scenario.

50

Philadelphia Inquirer Steven Rea

What are you going to do when your lead actress offers a performance that's as unlikable as the woman she's portraying? Maybe it's the script (flimsy, formulaic), or filmmaker Alejandro Gomez Monteverde's conspicuous direction, but Tammy Blanchard's Nina, a waitress with a dour disposition and an unwanted pregnancy, pretty much sucks the life out of this well-meaning melodrama.

50

Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum

In stories like this defiantly unsubtle, structurally clunky specimen, causes women who are considering abortion to think again, and self-selecting audiences to enjoy a light, luxurious weep.

50

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Rick Groen

If you have an appetite for well-made treacle, then Bella should go down a treat.

40

Village Voice Julia Wallace

Manages to be utterly predictable without making any sense at all.

40

The New York Times Stephen Holden

If Bella (the title doesn’t make sense until the last scene) is a mediocre cup of mush, the response to it suggests how desperate some people are for an urban fairy tale with a happy ending, no matter how ludicrous.

38

Boston Globe Erin Meister

In this bilingual morality movie about love, family, and fate, however, the unpredictability turns out to be highly predictable.

38

Miami Herald Connie Ogle

The film is more of an exercise in pandering and propaganda -- give your baby up for adoption, you selfish pig! -- than the heartfelt drama it aims to be.

33

The Onion (A.V. Club) Scott Tobias

The emotions at play in Bella are no doubt heartfelt--and must have resonated with a few hundred people, anyway--but they're so cut-and-dried that the mawkish script virtually writes itself.

30

Washington Post Desson Thomson

A Mexican movie in which the outcome is never in doubt, the scenes are endless -- sorry, we meant poetic-- and the false beard on the central character's face looks as though it could use a little extra gum.

The average user rating for this movie is 7.9 (out of 10) based on 25 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Jas B. gave it a10:
This movie is awesome!

Chad S. gave it a5:
A dispute over change between a Chinese grocer and an Anglo-American customer results in "Crash"-like words. Was the bill that the customer handed over to the grocer, a ten, or a five spot? Nina(Tammy Blanchard) is next in line. The customer leaves. It's Nina's turn. "Korea"(what the customer calls the grocer) opens the till and sees that he erred. This is not a throwaway scene. Don't be distracted by the Unabomber-like beard that Jose(Eduardo Verastegui) sports, in repose, or in rapport with Nina. Don't be distracted by the overwrought emotions that ensues. While you weren't looking, this filmmaker remade "Crash" to his own specifications(from the point-of-view of a Latino). In Paul Haggis' "Crash", Ludacris doesn't stop. Jose stops. He stops and gives assistance to the injured. And he still winds up in prison for five years. Because of that scene at the Chinese grocer, the ethnicity of the second party becomes relevant. The victim, and the victim's mother, are Anglo-American. Draw your own conclusions as to the sort of prison sentence Tom might have received were he not from Mexico. "Bella" begins well. Manny(Manny Perez), a restaurant owner, incidentally, shares the same name as the protagonist in Stewart O'Nan's "Last Night at the Lobster". He runs a tight shift. His firing of Nina is justified. Her anger is justified, too(this is the first of three crashes). So far, so good. The walking tour of New York that Jose and Nina undertake is okay, as well. But when they reach their destination, "Bella" becomes hard to watch. The film is somewhat redeemed by its political subtext.

Jay H. gave it a6:
Pleasant film, very nicely acted, particularly Tammy Blanchard and in a small role Ali Landry. Well written but it can be slow moving at times. Worth watching.

Leslie R. gave it a4:
Cloyingly sentimental film. Too many dark brooding looks, pregnant (haha) pauses for effect, too saccharine by far. When it's recommended in catechism class, you can pretty much predict the plot.

Wendy H. gave it a2:
I do not like the movie at all! I don't even like the name of the actual movie! Bella?! Come on!

Chris R. gave it a10:
This is one of the best movies of 2007. It acheives a level of naturalness and simplicity that few other movies I have seen are able to. The strength of the movie is the acting, which is exemplary. I didn't find it unrealistic in the least, everything which happens in this movie could happen every day. The main thrust of this movie is redemption, pure and simple. How each of us striving to be more loving and reaching out to each other inevitably heal our own hurts by doing so. The butterfly symbolism is touching, mystical and artistic, the music was exemplary, camera shots and angles were unique. My favorite scene is the one on the beach where Tammy Blanchard does some of the most convincing emotional acting I have seen on screen to date. A positive message for a jaded modern world. The only reason the critics bashed this movie was because of its message which they eskew to be religious or pro-life. It offers that message to be sure, but in a very subtle way. It handles the subject matter with heart and concern, its prime focus being the message of redeeming love, family and friendship. It takes both sides into account and is neither condescending or preachy in the least. Listen to the peoples choice on this one, pay no mind to the critics whom rate for political correctness and enjoy a beautiful movie!

Joyce B gave it a9:
I loved the characters, I wanted to meet them. The movies raised a lot of issues which make for interesting conversation.

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