Bella

An upscale restaurant serves as a meeting place for two lost souls in the bilingual Bella. In flashbacks, we learn that José (Eduardo Verástegui) once played professional soccer, but five years later he's working as a leading chef in a New York Mexican eatery owned by his brother Manny (Manny Perez). On the same day that a waitress named Nina (Tammy Blanchard) discovers that she's pregnant, Manny fires her for taking too much time off (due to morning sickness). With no job or support system, Nina opts to terminate her pregnancy, until José offers her reasons to reconsider, including a confession about his past. Writer-director Alejandro Monteverde's Bella is a drama about abortion, rather than a comedy like Knocked Up or Juno, but it does take a similarly conservative approach to the subject. Prior to its theatrical run, the film won a People's Choice Award at the Toronto Film Festival and has garnered fans ranging from Edward James Olmos to Tony Bennett, as well as the endorsement of a number of church groups. Thankfully, Monteverde avoids speeches and judgments in this film that features solid acting, beautiful cinematography, and scrumptious Latin cuisine sure to stimulate the appetites of most viewers, regardless of their sociopolitical persuasion. Recommended. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary by director Alejandro Monteverde, a 16-minute behind-the-scenes featurette, and a 15-minute five-featurette section tracing the film's unique distribution journey. Bottom line: a fine extras package for a solid film.] (K. Fennessy)