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A Wedding For Bella: The Bread, My Sweet [2001] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
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The bread, my sweet
Review date: 2006-01-01 Rating: 10 out of 10
Call it "My Big Fat Italian Wedding," but with more love, bittersweetness, family feeling, and pastry. "A Wedding for Bella" or "The Bread, My Sweet" has a big heart, narrowly avoiding the oversweetness of such movies. It's a romantic comedy, a tragedy, and a warm tale about family.
Domi (Scott Baio) is a corporate bigwig by day, but owns a bakery that he runs with his two brothers. He has also "adopted" an elderly Italian couple, the grumpy Massimo (John Seitz) and loving Bella (Rosemary Prinz). But one day Bella takes Domi to the hospital, revealing that she has terminal cancer. But she orders him not to tell anyone -- because "I no gonna start dying until I'm ready." But she obviously wishes she could see her wayward daughter Lucca (Kristin Minter) be married.
So Domi quietly tries to contact Lucca, only to have her turn up at Christmas dinner. Within a day, he proposes to her -- just so Bella can see her daughter be married, even if he expects Lucca to go her own way once her mother is dead. Lucca and Domi start awkwardly getting to know one another, all the time hoping that Bella will live to see them wed.
A lot of movies would have lapsed into silly cliches. But as someone of Italian ancestry, I can say honestly that a lot of Italians are like the people of this film: they "got a scream," argue and insult, and yet they're generous and loving to everybody. And love food. Even the broken English Bella and Massimo speak never crosses the line into parody.
But what makes "A Wedding for Bella" so enchanting is that it's not just about a wedding or romance. It's also about love and family, and about living your life to the fullest. It's impossible not to be moved as Bella states that she's going to keep living -- not just surviving -- for as long as possible, and tries to do that. And somehow, this movie manages to do it without sinking into sticky-sweetness.
The story mainly focuses on the very weird courtship between Lucca and Domi, and again it manages not to be soppy or cliched -- one scene has them exchanging questionnaires and information. It's awkward, and it's supposed to be. But even with terminal illnesses and faux weddings, "Wedding" has comedy too, such as the three brothers and Massimo goofing around at the tux fitting.
The star performance of this is undoubtedly Prinz as the dying Bella. She exudes warmth, kindness and a quiet strength. It's easy to see why everyone loves her. There are also stellar performances from Baio and Minter, who make the transition from self-arranged fiancees to lovers believable, and Seitz, who gives the crabby Massimo plenty of heart. And "Van Helsing's" Shuley Hensley gives the most underrated performance of the film as Domi's retarded brother, who loves Bella dearly.
"A Wedding for Bella" ("The Bread, My Sweet") a story about celebrating life, and about love -- between lovers, spouses, and brothers. This tiny film is like bread -- good in every way.
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Reviews
Touch of grace
Review date: 2005-01-31 Rating: 10 out of 10
I was really happy to find at last a DVD with my dear Scott Baio (From Happy Days) but the film came as a wonderful surprise. It is beautiful. I cried as unfortunately I can relate with my own life at the moment and laugh as well because you keep on switching from one state to the other. I really recommend this DVD the story is interesting and the actors are great, all of them. It is a lovely romance but it is not just that. The rhythm is unusual and you have enough time to appreciate all the different layers of the characters. Just beautiful...
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Rosemary Prinz
John Amplas
Zachary Mott
Kristin Minter
Scott Baio
Creators:
Scott Baio (Primary Contributor)
Kristin Minter (Primary Contributor)
Mark Knobil (Cinematographer)
Chuck Aikman (Editor)
Adrienne Wehr (Producer)
William C. Hulley (Producer)
Director(s):
Recording label: Universal Studios
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
EAN: 9780783289649
Binding: DVD
ISBN: 0783289642
Number of items: 1
Format: Closed-captioned, Colour, DVD-Video, Full Screen, Subtitled, NTSC,
Release date: 2004-02-03
Universal product code (UPC): 025192469329
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Region code: 1
Running time: 105 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2001
Language: English (Original Language)
Language: Italian (Original Language)
Language: English (Subtitled)