http://christianmovieblog.com/ 67-10 http://christianmovieblog.com/reviews/bella The life of an up and coming soccer star, Jose (Eduardo Verastegui), is suddenly turned upside down due to an unfortunate turn of events. His decision to do the right thing costs him his fame, fortune and future. With his professional soccer dreams dashed, and a dark secret in his past, he settles for a humble but respectable position as a chef in his brother's restaurant. The healing process slowly begins for him and escalates when he reaches out to help a co-worker, waitress Nina (Tammy Blanchard), at a desperate moment in her life. The gesture unfolded into an unplanned full day of outing that led them to several different locations including Jose's family home. The day allows them to both share dark secrets that are somewhat related but of different extremes. We experience a series of flashbacks - an experience that brings them even closer together in a soul-touching sort of way. There are no sexual scenes or connotations but the message of love between them is very real and convincing as Nina experiences Jose's family and culture and he learns of her childhood. Jose proves to be full of wisdom and carries a Christ-like demeanor that pierces Nina's heart and leads her to make a life-changing decision - which in turn opens the path to Jose's recovery from his troubled past. It seemed as though they were destined for each other - but not in the way we are used to. The gift of life they exchange provides immense relief to their souls and gives viewers a heart-warming and thought-provoking message. Bella is a captivating movie that manages to combine good acting and an inspiring storyline. There are several references and observations about God, and prayer is portrayed in the movie. ]]> Thu, 15 Oct 2009 05:52:49 -0400