I prefer storylines that tell us what it is we're signing up for. Disney's "Enchanted is a film just as mushy, gushy, and lovey-dovey as Bella is. The difference is Enchanted asks its question from the beginning: "can a storybook view of romance survive in the real world?" It then proceeds to show that it can. There is hope. Individuals can make a difference.
Even though we're told Bella is "a love story that goes beyond romance," Bella is, above all, a movie "about a cause that matters." I would have preferred knowing beforehand that the cause was abortion. Is abortion such a divisive force that its part in the film needed to be kept under wraps in the advertising copy? It is true that Bella deals with the abortion issue. It's also true it goes beyond the rhetoric and into the humanity surrounding it, both that of the unborn baby and that of those close to its mother. The movie is a good vehicle for delivering truth in a caring and sensitive manner and deserves to employ truth in advertising in its media campaign.
Bella, directed by Alejandro Monteverde, won the People’s Choice Award at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival, considered to be "the most influential film festival in the world." Even though it deals with a particularly controversial issue in America today, it also deals with mistakes we make that can haunt us for the rest of our lives. It's about how things that happen can kill the passion in us, the passion for living, for engaging life in all its fullness.
Bella is about family and friendship. It's about options and consequences surrounding decision-making. It's about hope and healing. It's a movie about everyday heroes and the ability they have to make humanity hopeful, beautiful and uplifting.
When you Google "Bella the movie" you'll find most folks, but not all, raving about it. Stephen Holden, of the NY Times, gave it a scathing review,
It is not hard to see why Bella, a saccharine trifle directed by Alejandro Monteverde, won the People’s Choice Award at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival. This is a movie that wears its bleeding heart on its sleeve and loves its characters to
distraction. Nothing—not even significant plot glitches and inconsistencies—is allowed to get in the way of its bear-hugging embrace of sweetness and light. [Stephen Holden/NY Times].
A film uses its artistic components to evoke a particular emotional response from audiences. Plot glitches and inconsistencies do make it hard for viewers to suspend disbelief and embrace the storyline. I'm not sure which plot glitch or inconsistency Holden is referring to. For me the movie's storyline worked. It was straight forward.
In his review, Holden brings out a point worth noting, "If Bella
In addition to its #1 message on the topic of abortion, that there are options one can take besides aborting a human being, the other themes woven throughout the storyline are what would make this a movie worth watching and recommending. You won't be disappointed if you go prepared to see a slow and melodious story rich in values, hope and love. Know beforehand that it'll ask you to think about abortion and much more. Bella will ask you to consider what is true and beautiful and worth doing today in order to make this a better world for us all. Watch Bella and tell me what you think by posting your comments to my blog.
7 comments:
My wife and I saw the film last night. We found the film's plot utterly unbelievable. I felt snookered into seeing the film by a lot of promotional hype on the DVD box. What we saw was a saccharine propaganda vehicle. Don't get me wrong, I am not a big pro-abortion type, but films should be held to a high artistic standard. This film is a poorly directed and manipulative vehicle. If the characters had been three dimensional we might have gotten into it. The biggest message of the film: DO NOT CLOSE YOUR EYES AND COUNT WHILE YOUR TWO YEAR OLD FINDS A PLACE TO HIDE IN AN URBAN NEIGHBORHOOD. As a balance to this film I would recommend the highly acclaimed Romainian film, "Four Months, Three Weeks and Two Days". A thoughtful and utterly realistic look at an illegal abortion.
I pretty much have to agree with much of what you mention in your review of the movie. That's why rather than an enthusiastic endorsement I gave it a qualified one. It carries a sweet message, even though it does deliver it in a bit of what you call "a saccharine propaganda vehicle." The important thing is for folks to know what they're getting into before they watch it...so they don't end up feeling "snookered into seeing it" as you felt. :-)
I can't say I was overwhelmed by how the movie was made/edited, but I thought it was refreshing to actually see a movie where the issue of abortion is addressed, and where the pro-life message wasn't mocked, as it usually is in the form of some joke or some character who is a whacko nutjob. I think the abortion aspect was not promoted because people don't really want to deal with the issue of abortion. If it had been promoted I think it would have scared a lot of people away. Besides, a lot of movies build their strength around surprise; that's what makes a movie like The Sixth Sense and others so effective. In the end, I think people don't mind being "snookered" by fantasy plots, but the very real and uncomfortable issue of abortion hits a little too close to home.
JHK
I have to agree with your first sentence. I also wasn't at all overwhelmed by the acting/editing. And though it was refreshing to see that the subject of abortion was taken seriously rather than mocked, the delivery of this message could have been pumped up a notch or two.
I agree that the element of surprise, when well implemented, as it was exquisitely done in The Sixth Sense, is tremendously effective. Did you think it was well implemented in BELLA?
It is January 27, 2009, but I recently did a web search to see if the number "4" had any significance in the movie. It seemed to pop up a lot. Then I discovered your review and thought I would post this. So first, did you also notice the number "4" coming up again and again or was it just me? If so, what is the significance? Also, I just wanted to comment that I had the same complaint about "Million Dollar Baby" in that it genuinely hid its main message also which was pro-euthenasia. I personally am indifferent on the euthenasia issue, but I just didn't like the hiding of it. Thank you.
In reply to Anonymous post: No, I didn't notice the number "4" coming up in the movie so I can't speak to whether it's significant or not. Perhaps others who read your post might want to comment on that.
Regarding your note about "Million Dollar Baby" I didn't see that movie but also would have been upset if they'd tried to push a message like that on me. Why can't they just come out and say what the movies are about and then folks know what they're getting into???
Now, if you want to go see a GREAT movie, go see SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE. It's raw in its portrayal of slum living in the country of India. It's also raw in its portrayal of the power of love. I just finished blogging about it. :-)
http://olgygary.blogspot.com/2009/01/slumdog-millionaire-must-see-movie.html
4 of us just saw this movie (suckered like the rest by the box hype of "best movie") and had a hard time getting past the notion that he went to jail for hitting a child who ran out into the street from between parked cars. Just not possible. There's your 1st serious "plot glitch"! Was he speeding? Poor plot development. Editing stunk. All was flash backs from present except for 1 flash forward to abortion clinic where you determine absolutely nothing.
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