Bella

I highly recommend Bella if it is playing near you. A great movie for the Christmas season, Bella is moving, funny, and perfectly pitched. The characters are reminiscent of Mary and Joseph, and the story beautifully explores the meaning of unselfish motherhood and fatherhood.

Jose, a handsome former professional soccer player, is mysteriously working as a chef in his brother's restaurant. He has a dark secret that explains why he wears a long Jesus-like beard and stays out of the limelight. Nina, a waitress at the restaurant, has just found out that she's pregnant, and is fired by Jose's brother Manny for being late to work. Jose, concerned for Nina, follows her down the sidewalk as she walks away from the restaurant, and they embark on a geographical and emotional odyssey around New York City and its suburbs.

Bella demonstrates what it means to connect with another person for no selfish reason whatsoever. It illustrates how one person's sacrifice can change someone else's life. The characters, acting, filming, and dialogue are evocative without being overdone, and serve to show how active compassion can make the difference in a tragic, seemingly-hopeless life.