An overly sweet, wispy concoction

Despite the presence of a lovely leading lady and an impossibly handsome co-lead, the most dazzling star of the quixotic “Bella” is actually New York City. Director Alejandro Monteverde presents the melting pot that is 21st century Manhattan with an infectious vibrancy that makes you want to hop on the next plane and partake in the Big Apple’s colorful ebullience.

If only that vitality carried over to the film’s wispy script, which Monteverde wrote with Patrick Million and Leo Severino. Like they say, there’s not much “there” there to this tale of two co-workers, haunted by very different tragedies, who come together on a fateful day and change each other’s lives forever. Or so we’re asked to believe, since the questionable way things evolve and play out strains credibility, even for a piece this fanciful.

When in the course of one harried morning, single and struggling Nina (Tammy Blanchard) discovers she’s pregnant and is then fired from her waitress job for terminal tardiness, the eatery’s talented, soulful chef, Jose (Mexican heartthrob Eduardo Verastegui) capriciously goes after her and they spend a platonic day bonding and sharing their pasts.

Since Jose, a former world soccer champ whose career was waylaid by an unfortunate accident, has the more dimensional -- and vividly replayed -- back story, he becomes the movie’s focus, almost by default. This is unfortunate because the hard-luck Nina is so wonderfully etched by the expressive Blanchard (she won an Emmy playing the young Judy Garland in the telefilm “Me and My Shadows”) that you want to learn more about her than is even remotely provided. Conversely, Verastegui, whose perfect movie star face is covered in a mop of hair and a castaway’s beard for most of the film, internalizes too much of the role, underplaying his innate charisma to sell Jose’s forlorn state.

In addition, while there’s a natural simpatico between these two lost souls, it seems based more on a “no day but today” spirit (thank you, “Rent”) than on any goodwill built up over their last year working together. What was their relationship like before this very morning? Did they even have one -- or did it merely consist of, say, Jose overcooking the snapper and Nina sending it back to the kitchen?

Jose and Nina are both upstaged, though, by their overlong trip to Long Island to visit Jose’s family (Mexican mother, Puerto Rican father, love-struck younger brother), a group so kindly and jovial they’re exhausting. More compelling is Jose’s older, high-strung brother Manny (Manny Perez), who runs the bustling, gourmet Mexican restaurant where Jose and Nina meet. Manny’s approach to Jose, alternately fraternal and parental, is given extra depth once Manny’s childhood history is revealed -- and it’s a poignant touch.

“Bella” is certainly a sweet, life-affirming picture, but it’s just not authentic or captivating enough to justify its wildly concocted scenario.

“Bella.” MPAA rating: PG-13 for thematic elements and brief disturbing images. Running time: 1 hour, 31 minutes. In selected theaters.