Review of Bella (2007) by Chads. — 07 May 2008

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.