‘Bella’ director shows promise

“Bella” is a small, independent film getting some buzz because it has a lot going for it. Co-written and directed by first-timer Alejandro Monteverde, it’s a movie that touches the heart, even if it has its narrative problems.

Essentially it’s the story of two broken people who discover they have the ability to mend each other. José (Eduardo Verástegui) is a soccer star and a decent guy who, for reasons slowly revealed in the film, has ended up as a chef in his brother’s restaurant. Nina (Tammy Blanchard) is a waitress at the same restaurant and she faces her own crisis and ends up getting fired. José walks off the job and tries to help her.

The bulk of the film follows José and Nina over the course of their day, as they talk, meet his family, and slowly unburden themselves of their problems. They’re both hurting and are reaching out for help. Simply finding a friend does much to relieve the pain.

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