Review of Bella (2006) by Sue K — 24 Jul 2008

If you're in Christian circles, you may have heard some hype around this independent film "Bella." It looked intriguing to me--low budget, subtitles, bittersweet story--all good imo. Besides the name caught my attention for some reason ;).

So I watched it the other day, and it really made an impression on me. For me, it's one of those movies that I spend a lot of time thinking about the next day. It explores so many meaty and positive themes: family, sacrifice, personal responsibility, priorities, patient and sincere love, safety/vulnerability, the value of life, concepts of sowing and reaping, etc.

The dialog seemed a bit trite in a few spots, but overall it was a great story with very solid performances. I love the way movies like this really take advantage of motion picture as an art form--a type of expression that communicates on multiple levels--not just literally, but in more subtle and nuanced ways as well. The closing shot in this movie was a terrific example of that.

Though it's not for the faint of heart, it is definitely worth watching when you're in the mood. And at a modest 90 minutes, even if you hate it (which would automatically qualify you for the lame-o club), you haven't wasted much time. So see it.