Bella

By Ed Grant -- Video Business, 4/28/2008

LIONSGATE
Street: May 6
Prebook: now
> Soft-hearted Big Apple romance revolves around the issue of pregnancy.

A pregnant waitress (Tammy Blanchard) finds love with a former soccer player (Eduardo Verástegui) in this sentimental romance. Shot in and around New York City, the film develops along classic lines, with the characters getting to know each other and sharing tales of their sad pasts, as they become acquainted over the course of an event-filled day. The film’s “inspirational” component has to do with the heroine’s pregnancy, and whether or not she’ll choose to end it.

Shelf Talk: Bella has received much attention in the Christian community, receiving numerous prizes from Christian organizations and at various film festivals (including the People’s Choice Award at the 2007 Toronto Film Festival). It additionally became a top-rated film and won viewers’ polls on such mainstream Web sites as RottenTomatoes.com, Yahoo and Fandango. The film’s publicity features quotes from a number of different sources, including Kathy Lee Gifford and a rare movie-blurb supplier, Tony Bennett.

Drama, color, PG-13 (mature themes), 95 min., DVD $27.98
Extras: director’s commentary, featurettes, music videos
Director: Alejandro Monteverde
First Run: L, Nov. 2007, $7.7 mil.