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BELLA

"Forgiveness, Grace and Life"

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What You Need To Know:

BELLA opens up with the wonderful narration, "If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans." Jose has just been signed to a big soccer contract. Filled with joy, Jose is a good-looking, clean-cut, athletic young man at the top of his game. Cut to a bearded, down-hearted Jose cooking in his brother Manny's restaurant. When Nina, the waitress, comes in late, Manny fires her. Jose goes after her to befriend her, not to romance her. He finds out she is contemplating an abortion. He asks her if she'll consider adoption. He even says that he'll take the child. Manny, meanwhile, is furious that Jose, his top chef, has walked out. Jose, however, is trying to help Nina. He takes her to his parents' house on Long Island. Jose's family is a delightful group of Spanish-speaking immigrants. They love each other deeply.

BELLA is an amazing movie. The ending of BELLA will bring tears to many eyes. The acting is superb. BELLA also contains positive prayers, positive statements about God, and wonderful pro-life, allegorical elements. It is not preachy or off-putting, but delightful, winsome and lyrical.

Content:

(CC, BB, L, V, A, M) Strong Christian worldview with a man atoning for his sin, a Christ-figure allegory and a woman being delivered from abortion, plus strong family elements and strong moral elements; one light obscenity; tragic car accident, tastefully portrayed; nothing sexually offensive; no nudity; alcohol use; no smoking; and, man fires pregnant woman, man yells at brother, brother quits, but everything resolved by the end.

More Detail:

BELLA opens up with the wonderful narration, “If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans.”

Jose has just been signed to a big soccer contract. Filled with joy, he signs a frayed old soccer ball for some of the street kids on the block and then promises to get the ball signed by all their favorite stars. Jose is a good-looking, clean-cut, athletic young man at the top of his game.

The movie cuts to a bearded, down-hearted Jose cooking in his brother Manny’s restaurant. When Nina, the waitress, arrives too late, Manny fires her. Jose goes after her just to befriend her, not to romance her. He finds out she is pregnant and contemplating an abortion. He asks her if she’ll consider adoption. He even says that he’ll take the child.

Manny, meanwhile, is furious that Jose, his top chef, has walked out. Jose, however, is trying to help Nina. He takes her to his parents house on Long Island, either Queens or Brooklyn. There, he finally tells the story of how the fateful day when he was signed as a soccer star, he ran over a little girl and was sent to prison for involuntary manslaughter.

Jose’s family is a delightful group of Spanish-speaking immigrants. One parent is Puerto Rican and the other parent is Mexican. They love each other deeply.

The ending of BELLA will bring tears to many eyes. Produced by Mel Gibson’s former partner for a very low budget and directed by a young man just out of film school, BELLA is an amazing movie. Audiences who have screened it have loved the movie, and most have ended up crying. It is not a perfect movie. There are a few slow moments as a result of missing plot points or other structural problems, but otherwise the movie is incredibly captivating for those who like character studies. Jose’s character clearly has some Christological elements. The acting is superb. The scene between Manny and Jose is so lively and natural that it brings back memories of childhood friendships.

BELLA has some positive prayers, positive statements about God, and wonderful pro-life, allegorical elements. It is not preachy or off-putting, but delightful and winsome. MOVIEGUIDE® highly recommends BELLA and commends all those who made this wonderful, lyrical movie.

Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.


Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.