BELLA

Mexico/US, 2006, 91 minutes, Colour.
Eduardo Verastegui, Tammy Blanchard, Manny Perez.
Directed by Alejandro Gomez Monteverde.

The popularity of Bella is something of a fairytale in itself. Made on a small budget by an aspiring Mexican writer-director in Los Angeles, it took the prize for the People’s Award at the 2006 Toronto Festival, beating many big name films. After doing some of the rounds of festivals, it eventually received an American commercial release in October 2007.

The film is very appealing with its romantic overtones but with its underlying sadness.

Popular singer and actor, Eduardo Verastegui, plays a young man whose life went wrong but who was able to overcome what had happened to him and be positive in someone else’s life. The film opens and closes with his character, Jose, sitting on a beach. He watches people pass by, especially the children. As his memory goes back, he remembers the time of promise when he was going to be a star footballer but a car accident changes everything in a flash and destroys his hopes as well as the lives of others.

His memory also goes back to a significant day when he rescued the waitress who is sacked by his brother from the restaurant where he works as the chef. She has her moods and a temper – which is not helped by her discovery that she is pregnant. Jose takes the day off and they – and we – share some momentous events during that day: whether the waitress will have the child, a visit to Jose’s family (and meeting his entertainingly lively and undiplomatic brother), words of wisdom from both father and mother, the reality of support from Jose.

And then, we are back at the beach, wondering what happened to the waitress, Jose, what about the child -because it is four years later.

Verastegui has great charm and presence. Tammy Blanchard is very good and convincing as Nina, the waitress. And the film, made by a young man in his late 20s, is a blend of realism and sadness, joy and redemption, plenty of sentiment, but great hope.

1.The popularity of the film? At festivals? Audiences? Appeal? Humanity?

2.The director, writer, his first feature film? Small-budget, made in twenty-three days? A success?

3.New York City, the locations, the streets, the restaurant, the beaches, New Jersey, suburbia? The musical score? The use of popular songs?

4.The title, beautiful, the name of the little girl?

5.The focus on Jose, at the opening, the beach, watching the children, the little girl, the reactions of the parents, his long hair, his look – and the touch of the Jesus image? The importance of children to him, the accidental death and its effect, Nina’s pregnancy, her daughter, his love for the daughter, giving her life? A life for a life?

6.The flashbacks and their insertion, the development of Jose’s story, the flashbacks to the soccer, playing on the street, dancing with the little girl, the children, wanting the autograph, going to the press confrontation, Frank as his manager, the bond between them, the cigar, joking, the wrong turn, the accident? The effect on Jose, his accepting responsibility? Frank wanting to run? The mother, videoing her daughter, playing hide and seek, the daughter running onto the road, the mother’s reaction and grief? Jose and his options? The accepting of responsibility, going to prison, Manny supporting him in the court, his coming out of prison, head shaven? Reflecting on what this meant?

7.His working for his brother as a cook, his work in the kitchen, Manny as the boss, dapper, businesslike, reprimanding his staff, hassling them? His complaints about Nina being late, humiliating her in the street, firing her? Jose and his reaction, leaving for the day, the chaos in the kitchen, the personalities of the other cooks, Jose leaving his phone, Manny ringing? The calls from his parents? His return, the discussions with Manny, Manny firing him? Many and his being faced with the truth, the confrontation?

8.The character of Nina, her age, background, explanation of the death of her father, the gift of the toy, her clashes with her mother, her mother’s demands, her mother’s illness? Her leaving home? Jobs? Working for Manny? Her illness, being late, dressed in the Mexican dress, coming to the restaurant, locked out, the rest of the staff having a beautiful meal? Manny going out, his reprimands? Her explanations? Jose watching? Her grief, leaving? Going to the shop, buying the pregnancy test, applying the test, discovering she was pregnant? Jose chasing her? Their spending the day together, travelling around, the discussions? Her imagining his assisting her to an abortion? Her decision for abortion? Her stating she was unable to look after a child, let alone herself? Jose deciding to take her to his family, the train trip, the arrival, the family knowing her? The parents and the welcome? Eduardo and his comic style, his girlfriend? The dinner, asking questions? Nina and her being well received by the parents, the father speaking Spanish, his concern? The mother and her kindness? Going to the beach with Jose, walking along the beach, listening to his story, telling her own story? Sitting in the car in the garage? His revealing his secret and the accidental death? The consequences of the bonds between them, love, friendship, saving her child?

9.The family, lively, the father and his speaking Spanish, sometimes in English, agreeing with his wife, her domination? The preparation of the meal? The welcome? The discussions, Eduardo and his girlfriend, getting her to say the Grace in Spanish after him? The jovial family atmosphere? The effect on each of them?

10.The character of Frank, his hopes with Jose, as manager, setting up the interviews, wanting to walk away from the accident?

11.The issue of abortion, Nina imagining it, Jose with her, her imagining the consequences?

12.The sharing between the two, the walk on the beach, the discussions, the emotions?

13.Nina, the child, her attitude – the obliqueness of the ending? Her return, reconciliation with the daughter?

14.Jose, a good man, all that he experienced, working for his brother? The knowledge that Manny was adopted – and the mother explaining to Nina the wonder of the adoption? Bringing Manny up? Jose’s care of Nina, the child?

15.The graphic presentation of the accident, the mother, her grief?

16.The overall effect – basic, decent humanity?