Amanda Shaw, writing for First Things, explains that Bella (which I previously introduced) is not your run-of-the-mill chick flick, though the mainstream media remains reluctant to sing its praises. Spoiler warning: Shaw reveals a bit more than I hoped she would about the ending. (My wife and I plan to see it in a few weeks.)
Also: Christianity Today tells the conversion story of Eduardo Verástegui, lead male actor in Bella:
“God changed my heart and I had to repent of my past. And from that day on, I promised that I would never do anything that will offend God or my Latino heritage. I would never do anything to compromise my faith. That’s the moment I realized that the purpose of my life was to know and to love God.”
Verástegui’s closing comment:
“This is my career now. I’m passionate about Bella; this is our baby. It’s a small budget film with a lot of heart, and we hope that Metanoia can do more and more films that will honor God. Our goal is that if God were on the set, or watching this movie, we wouldn’t have to cover his eyes at any time. That’s what motivates us, and that’s why we hope people will come and see Bella.”