Bella - Review

http://www.bellamoviesite.com/

Bella, released in 2006 at the Toronto International Film Festival, is one of those movies that I really meant to see, but never got around to it.  Thanks to Netflix, I finally did, and wow, what a great movie!

The story, which takes place in one day, may get a little confusing as the backstory unfolds in flashbacks.  Jose, a soccer star who has just signed a lucrative contract, accidentally kills a small child and serves time in prison.  After his release, he works in his brother's restaurant as a chef, where he meets Nina, a waitress who has a brief affair (not with Jose) which ends in an unplanned pregnancy.  Nina's solution is to end the pregnancy, but Jose has other ideas, and Nina changes her plans (as shown in flash-forwards, confused yet?).  The subtle anti-abortion message is so powerful, that I can see why pro-life groups adopted this movie and helped to heavily promote it.  

I enjoyed the portrayal of Jose's family and particularly his interaction with his brother Manny, whose compulsive reactions Jose responds to with calm dismissal.  Such as when Manny fires Jose, who simply walks out the back door of the restaurant, then returns the next morning and cooks Manny breakfast as if nothing happened.

My favorite scene has to be Jose, sitting with a rosary in his hand, while Nina is taken into the back of the abortion clinic.  It's something you might miss, if you weren't Catholic, but to me, it screamed the power of Our Blessed Mother's intercession.

Bella is a story about imperfect people, living sometimes difficult lives and facing complicated choices.  It's about the power of God bringing awesome good out of our human weakness.

The Blind Side

Typical upper middle class (is there still such a thing?) soccer mom meets underpriviledged, homeless youth. Recognizes hidden talent and alternataive learning style. Takes child into home to shock and dismay of friends and relatives. Sound like an overused storyline? Possibly, but The Blind Side is based on actual people and events. The names are not changed, but of course the actors are more "Hollywood" than the real people.

Family and child adopt each other and love brings out the best on both sides. Child garners attention of college football recruiters. "Non-governmental-organization" tries to foil child's chances at a college scholarship, "in his best interests". Child defies non-governmental-organization and chooses to go to college he picks, despite the fact that it is the college his "white" family endorses. All ends well.

How often do special interest groups become enforcers "in the best interests" of a child, a monority group, the environment, (add your pet peeve here), while really serving only their own best interests? As Catholic Christians we are called to the Works of Mercy - shelter the homeless, instruct the uninformed, feed, clothe, give drink. We are not necessarily called to form NGO's with boards of directors and large staffed offices to carry out these duties for us. All of which require money to operate. I liked The Blind Side because it shows people doing what people should. Feeding, clothing, sheltering and educating those less fortunate. Not asking for a grant to do it with. Not sending out fundraising letters or taking up a collection at church. Not calling social services and pushing the job off on someone else. Just seeing a child in need, and quietly doing what needed to be done. Amen.

The Blind Side is availabe in several formats at http://www.theblindsidemovie.com//.
No compensation was received for this review. I borrowed the movie from our church library.