One Person Can Change Your Life Forever
An international soccer star is on his way to sign a multi-million dollar contract when a series of events unfold that bring his career to an abrupt end. A beautiful waitress, struggling to make it in New York City, discovers something about herself that she's unprepared for. In one irreversible moment, their lives are turned upside down... until a simple gesture of kindness brings them both together, turning an ordinary day to an unforgettable experience.
Genre(s): Drama, Romance
Runtime: 91 minutes
Rating: 7.4/10 (5,942 votes)
Release Date: 9 September 2006
Country: USA, Mexico
Languages: English, Spanish
Company: Metanoia Films
Sound: Dolby Digital
MPAA: Rated PG-13 for thematic elements and brief disturbing images.
Director(s): Alejandro Gomez Monteverde
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Producer(s):
Dan Genetti - associate producer
Alejandro Gomez Monteverde - producer
Jason Jones - producer
Matthew Malek - associate producer
Stephen McEveety - executive producer
Denise Pinckley - producer
Leo Severino - producer
John Shepherd - co-executive producer
Glen Trotiner - associate producer
Eduardo Verástegui - producer
Ana Wolfington - executive producer
J. Eustace Wolfington - executive producer
Sean Wolfington - executive producer
Sean Wolfington - producer
Writer(s):
Alejandro Gomez Monteverde - (writer)
Patrick Million - writer
Leo Severino - writer
Cast:
Eduardo Verástegui - Jose
Tammy Blanchard - Nina
Manny Perez - Manny
Ali Landry - Celia
Angélica Aragón - Mother
Jaime Tirelli - Father
Ramon Rodriguez - Eduardo
Lukas Behnken - Johannes
Peter Bucossi - Angry Driver
David Castro - David
Music: Stephan Altman
Dan Genetti - associate producer
Alejandro Gomez Monteverde - producer
Jason Jones - producer
Matthew Malek - associate producer
Stephen McEveety - executive producer
Denise Pinckley - producer
Leo Severino - producer
John Shepherd - co-executive producer
Glen Trotiner - associate producer
Eduardo Verástegui - producer
Ana Wolfington - executive producer
J. Eustace Wolfington - executive producer
Sean Wolfington - executive producer
Sean Wolfington - producer
Writer(s):
Alejandro Gomez Monteverde - (writer)
Patrick Million - writer
Leo Severino - writer
Cast:
Eduardo Verástegui - Jose
Tammy Blanchard - Nina
Manny Perez - Manny
Ali Landry - Celia
Angélica Aragón - Mother
Jaime Tirelli - Father
Ramon Rodriguez - Eduardo
Lukas Behnken - Johannes
Peter Bucossi - Angry Driver
David Castro - David
Music: Stephan Altman
Posted on: December 21, 2008
June 24th, 2008
Touches a chord of your heart as it did to mine. The pangs of pain onefeels while watching the movie are numerous.
A man's dream gets shattered tragically and every day and night he ishaunted in search of its remorse.
A lady is put in a burden which she either has to bear or eliminate.
Both find solace in each other, all this in a span of 24 hours. Lovethe basic theme the film. Eduardo Verástegui acting has to be watchedfor in the sequence where all his dreams fall apart. With no bigHollywood biggies such an awe inspiring movie is most commendable.
A happy tearful ending of satisfaction.
June 25th, 2008
I have never posted a comment on any website before, but I felt thisfilm was so powerful, I needed to say it! I watched this film lastnight and I was truly awestruck. I would like to see what happens afterthey get back together at the end, but I would hope the story wouldremain as beautiful. I want to know what Nina was so sorry about at theend of the film. She gave Jose a gorgeous little girl and she was verybrave to do such a thing. It was nice to see a love story that wasn'tpredictable and traditional. The story was simple yet intricate at thesame time.
I can't wait to see what's yet to come from this young inspiredfilm-maker, I will be keeping an eye out!
July 4th, 2008
Friday night is my movie night, and as most Fridays I pickup a movie ortwo from the video store. It always amazes me how much crap comes fromHollywood. The shelves are literally filled with horror, death anddestruction, Ironman, Spiderman, the Hulk – you name it.
Character-less, and script-less movies written for the mentallyderanged – adding to the sickness of Big Brother and Wheel of Fortune,and only making it to the big screens because of mind blowing specialeffects, or the need of total and utter self-destruction of the USA.
Okay, I'm negative, cynical and typically totally depressed when I seeyet another 300 million blown away on movies that really don't add anyvalue to this planet or our existence. Sorry, Indiana Jones andSpielberg – you guys have also completely lost the plot lately!Whatever happened to your creativity? Is it only remakes of pastglorious days that sticks with you guys?
And yet, every now and then, it seems there are still jewels out there,and I believe Bella is one them. Maybe it's the Spanish influence,maybe it's the sheer lack of Yankee-Doodle-Dee culture that makes thismovie stand out far above its 300 million dollar sick and spoilednephews.
My sincere compliments go to the script writers, the actors, the cameracrew, the music crew, and those that selected the scenery.
Please stay with this genre and don't be lured away to the world ofblockbusters and spoiled and arrogant actors. I loved this movie – it'shonest – it shows people – it shows our mistakes and vulnerabilities.No Spiderman that can save a small child being run over by a mercilesscar.
I think everyone should see this movie, and if it doesn't raise anyemotions then the only conclusion I can draw is that this world is noplace for you to be in.
July 7th, 2008
I really wonder how many independent films the people who rave aboutthis one have seen. If you want uplifting, heartfelt, touching, orinspiring, there are better places to look than this. (You might try"Wardance" for starters) I rented this because of all of the commentsabout how real this film is, how wonderful the acting is, and how itavoids Hollywood clichés. How disappointing it was to watch a film thattried hard too hard, a fell too short.
Yes, there is some good acting, but it falls flat due to the fact thatthere isn't a compelling story. Both of the leads know how to feigninner torment, then let a hard-earned tear roll, but the flow ofemotions never appeared natural. Perhaps this was mostly due to aunder- developed plot that left you completely at a loss for what thesecharacters are really about. Yes, I understand that they have skeletonsin their closets, that was plain enough, but that alone cannot builddepth in a character.
I will also award kudos for implementing some non-traditional narrativetechniques. But once again, these things only work in the context of astory and characters we care about. Lacking that I felt it was a drearyundertaking to weave my way through this hodge-podge of flashbacks.
Finally, I rate the camera-work highly, and appreciate the attempt tomake a film based on Latino culture, challenging the notion thatEngilsh is the only valid medium for art. In the great melting-pot wesorely need more films that explore the broad reach of Americanculture. Sadly, the nobility of this intention cannot trump theartistic flaws in this film.
At this point I strongly suspect that the only reason this movie hasdone well is that the theme of the movie plays well with the pro-lifeand family-values crowd. I agree that a good film doesn't needviolence, sex and cursing to entertain, but come on, let's not let ourenthusiasm for supporting wholesome entertainment cloud our judgment onthis one.
Don't believe the hype!
September 28th, 2008
Enough said about the goodness of this film as stereotype breaker. Idon't feel it that way. It has never been clear to me that a ethnicgroup behaves in this or that way. All movies are potential stereotypecreations. The stereotypes are broken by staying in the same side ofthe side-walk; to know what is the make up of others, one need just totalk to them. There is however much confusion with the ending. It isnot clear at all how Bella came to be. Nina did not appear to becarrying her baby, in fact the movie sowed Jose and Nina after sheappeared to had terminated her pregnancy holding hands and weeping.Then, who is BELLA? What is the nature of her existence? Why was Josecontemplating Bella in the beach at the beginning of the movie? Belladid not seem to be his daughter then. What is the point of that endingwith Nina coming in a Taxi dressed just like the scene before when Joseand she departed after coming back into the city and Jose tells herthat he will call her? Whatever reasons Mr. Monteverde had in mind, itjust does not make any sense! Therefore the whole movie which washolding pretty well turns into a nightmare of unexplained endings!Sorry, not a masterpiece!
November 20th, 2008
Spoiler alert.
I believe that Bella is meant to be a touching story about family,relationship, responsibility and perhaps race and love. However, thefilm didn't get there. In fact, there are a couple of strange nuanceswhich I find difficult to understand. The biggest of all is Nina'sdecision of not aborting her pregnancy but leaving her to Jose – why???I thought she was cool about having the child. And then why bothergoing back to see her child years later if she had decided not to raiseher? I don't think I feel that sympathetic to her cause.
Also, the relationship between Nina and Jose is really a puzzle. Goodfriends? Soulmates? Near-lovers? Or what? The film may not be focusingon this but the story was allowed to evolve to this ambiguity withoutgiving it a satisfactory close.
Bella simply didn't give me the warmth that the director apparently hadtried hard to deliver. It's that kind of movie that leave you with alot of questions, which popped up and then lost in the weak storydevelopment.
November 25th, 2008
I like the writer very much. He brings us back to the pure and simplelife of the characters. Everyone was hard to say something. Like theleading man of the story. He loved Nina but he did not want to getmisunderstood and then kept quiet of everything. Nina encouraged him tospeak out. It is a good way to relieve from depression. We lackedconfidence to believe it just happened to us. It is not our faults. Whydid we bear it all by ourselves? Manny is money-minded… he only knewit would be a billion thing less important than making a profit for hisrestaurant. He fired a waitress who would be a mother. He was typicalof a city guy, money and money, not anything else. In fact, he wasblind to everyone by him.
Nina was depressed but she know every moment could be beautiful if onecould see deeper. It is not hard but we often forget. Maybe just a bluesky or simple as a music coming from the corner can be the mostbeautiful thing if we dare to imagine! It can inspire me that love isthe most beautiful. Life is beautiful to be if we could appreciateevery little thing around us. It is not difficult but most of us wouldforget that for long.
I love the intention that the story brought about and so I here torecommend you Bella.
November 28th, 2008
We found this film to be a superficial, soap opera-like drama with anoverbearing soundtrack that telegraphs exactly what is going to happenand how you should feel. The skeletal, disjointed script and formulaicdirection contribute to make this one of the worst films we've seen inyears. The characters are stereotypes. The way they are portrayed lacksall subtlety and drains away any of the emotional punch the directorclearly wanted to convey. It is a film for people who like stupid TVmelodramas. We have watched 1000's of films and have used IMDb as areliable ratings resource. The preposterously high rating of this filmin IMDb will change our level of trust in IMDb users forever.