La Mission (2009)

La Mission, set in the streets of San Francisco's Mission District, is easily the most powerful Latin-interest film released in years. Peruvian leading man Benjamin Bratt's brother Peter Bratt directed the film, which focuses on the relationship between a macho bus driver and his son.

Benjamin Bratt is nothing short of brilliant as the tatted-up Che Rivera, a recovering alcoholic with a passion for lowriders, and pride for the academic achievements of his son Jesse. Bratt channels his inner pachuco with genuine swag, in a role destined for him to play.

Che is old-school Chicano to the bone, which makes for tremendous conflict when he discovers his son's sexual orientation. Rivera's son Jesse is played by Jeremy Ray Valdez, a young Latino with serious acting chops, and an infectious smile. Valdez and Bratt share an incredible on-screen chemistry as father and son, and Rivera's intolerance is something many Hispanic viewers will recognize. The stigma attached to homosexuality amongst old-school (and largely Roman-Catholic) Latinos is something almost never confronted in film.

For those of you already saying, "I'm not going to watch this," calm down. This isn't a "gay" movie, but it does address issues that Latinos tend to sweep under the rug. Jesse's orientation serves as a means of revealing who his father Che really is, and uncovering the pain and rage that needed to be healed in the ex-convict. Helping Che battle his inner demons is Lena, the earthy and extremely sexy neighbor who works for a woman's shelter. Played by beautiful morena Erika Alexander (of Living Single fame), Lena attempts to heal the rift between father and son, while dealing with her own fears of Che. Before the film is over, expect plenty of love, anger, and loss.

The rest of the supporting cast also make for an interesting movie. Jesse Borrego, best remembered as the artist Cruz from Bound by Honor, is reunited on-screen with his compadre Benjamin. Bratt's wife Talisa Soto, playing the gorgeous wife to Borrego's character, also rounds out the cast of well-known Latino actors. One of my favorite inclusions to the cast was talented voice actor Kevin Michael Richardson, who adds plenty of great comic relief to keep the film light.

Perhaps the best aspect of this film is that it's genuine. I've seen more than a few movies that try to work in "Latino" themes, only to come off as gimmicky. LA Mission is a movie with alma, real soul. From the clothing and music to the lowriders and pachuco swagger, La Mission gets it right. If you're a car enthusiast, the ranflas in this movie are guaranteed to put a smile on your face. I did think that the references to running a lowrider on biodiesel were tacky and out of place, but props to the film being shot on an environmentally-friendly movie set (one of the only ones in the Bay Area).

The verdict? Hit up your local Redbox tonight and give this one a rent, or better yet buy the DVD online. This is easily the best performance of Bratt's career, in an emotional flick that keeps it real with Latin audiences.

Writer/director Peter Bratt had the choice in LA MISSION to make a film about the Hispanic culture in San Francisco's Mission district to create a predictable imitation of life or a sensitive study of a culture with all of its beauty and with all of its problems: gratefully he took the latter. This is a film bursting with fantastic color from the inimitable clash of pigments used for the interiors of the homes of this culture to the fantasyland carefully restored old cars painted with religious and emotional scenes the proud mark of the Low Riders and the street celebrations full of lust and glamour and the intoxicating foods and dance. But it is also an internal film dealing with such realities as alcoholism, prison time, single parenting problems, pride in a child's educational and athletic achievements and the delicate issue of responding to the presence of same sex relationships. It is a banquet of delights and problems that Bratt handles magnificently well.

Che Rivera (Benjamin Bratt in a role that defines his fine acting abilities) has served time in prison, is an Alcoholics Anonymous member, and since his wife's death early in their marriage is the loving father of his well-educated and well-loved son Jesse (Jeremy Ray Valdez, in a role that should mark him for an important career). Che works hard as a bus driver, spends his free time restoring old cars to ride every Friday evening 'slow, low riding through the streets of San Francisco's Mission neighborhood'. His family includes Rene (Jesse Borrego) and Ana (Talisa Soto) who share as much pride in Jess as Che: their only son was born with a cardiac defect that has made them more sensitive to the differences in children. Che has only one problem: Jesse is gay and has a boyfriend Jordan (Max Rosenak) and the discovery of Jesse secret life destroys Che image of his family and of himself. A neighbor Lena (Erika Alexander) befriends Jesse and eventually Che and Lena are draw together over a tragedy that occurs: Jesse is shot by a homophobic fellow student, forcing Che to face his own demons and begin to understand his son more fully. The excellent way in which Bratt handles these major crossroad confrontations is written and directed and acted with such sensitivity nothing occurs as expected and everyone maintains dignity a very difficult range of emotions to handle.

The entire cast is excellent, the dialogue is spicy, the characters are well conceived, the particular gifts of Erika Alexander as a woman with a history of abuse who is devoting her life to working in a women's shelter who allows her physical needs to be met while maintaining her ownership of a wise woman of experience are extremely well utilized, and this film offers a platform deserving of the talent of Benjamin Bratt and Jeremy Ray Valdez. It is a tough story told with great sensitivity and truth. Hiro Narita's cinematography and Mark Kilian's musical score round out this very fine achievement in cinematic art. Grady Harp, August 10

Buy La Mission (2009) Now

For anyone who loves the real San Francisco, who has a son that's drifting away to a place you dont understand, or has a father who's not there when you want to come home, or who has struggled with demons, or loves old cars, graffiti and murals, who's looking for redemption, this a movie that you'll keep. Peter Bratt's best directing, Benjamin Bratt's best performance.

Read Best Reviews of La Mission (2009) Here

I find this film to be fine from several viewpoints: cinematography, writing, cultural analysis, and, of course, acting. My wife and I live in the Mission, not far from where the Riveras "lived" in the film. The two negative reviews on this film were written by persons who obviously do not live in the Mission. My wife is Latina, and I have organized in the Latino community since the 60's.

Who was this film written for? It was primarily written for Latino people who are still struggling with the meaning of Machismo, intimacy, and same sex love. These are still profound issues for the Latino communities, believe it or not! Not four weeks ago four people were shot near our home in gang violence. Two of them were precisely around this issue. Thus the Anglos who feel this move is cliche'ed or overstated have spent little ore no time in the Mission.

This movie is about a community coming to terms with itself, with change, and with the deeper meaning of Love. Che Rivera is a living character but he is also a symbol for the whole community. The fact that he, himself, falls in love with a Black sister in the film emphasizes the attempt to deal with the wholeness and integrity of the change that the movie addresses. The beauty of the movie preserving Lena's freedom to choose (by not tying up her choice in the last scenes) when Che comes to her finally feeling his own pain and understanding his violence is exquisite and beautifully done.

This is a fine movie. It is one of the best films about Latino culture I have seen. We are privileged to have it to enjoy again and again.

Want La Mission (2009) Discount?

I was invited to a screening of this film a few months ago and really didn't know what to expect. I've been a fan of Benjamin Bratt for some time and thought he deserved an Oscar for his performance in La Mission. It's nice to watch a film that doesn't depend on CGI and special effects to tell a powerful and moving story about how life really is for so many people. Kudos to Erika Alexander for her fine acting in this film, too!

Save 27% Off