Film Review: La Mission

La Mission, screened at the 16th Annual Austin Film Festival, is the newest project of director Peter Bratt, brother of Benjamin Bratt. The film puts its focus on the internal struggles of a man dealing with his son's homosexuality, though saying that this is simply a movie about homophobia within the Latino community would be selling La Mission short. The film manages to touch upon bigger issues concerning a community in transition. Benjamin Bratt plays Che Rivera, an ex-con and former alcoholic, who has gotten his life back together. He makes a living as a bus driver, and when he's not being a good father to Jes (Jeremy Ray Valdez), he spends his free time hanging out with his low rider crew, the "Mission Boyz", cruising the streets of San Fransisco low and slow. Che's entire world unravels before him when discovers that Jes hasn't been spending time with him lately because he's been living a secret life, that of a young man coming to terms with his own sexuality and finally embracing it. La Mission is not without its flaws. The plot points are predictable. Of course Che is going to violently throw Jes out of his home. Of course we have a character (in the form next door neighbor Lena, played by Erika Alexander) who helps Che see the error of his ways. Above all, of course we're going to see Che's newfound sobriety tested. Despite the obviousness of the story, the film also does have its redeeming qualities. Bratt, the director, does a phenomenal job at bringing the dichotomies within the Latino community to light. Yes, low riders and the cholo lifestyle are very much a part of our community, but these are elements that don't completely define us. Not everyone in the movie is a criminal, and in fact, the delinquent element is almost nonexistent. Instead, many of the secondary characters play middle aged men living and enjoying the fruits of their labor, whether this be working at a body shop that restores old cars or simply having a barbecue, playing dominoes, and shooting the shit. Perhaps the biggest strength of La Mission is that it offers a portrayal of a new kind of Latino, one that still embodies traditions but is not defined solely by them. Yes, Jes is very much a Chicano from the Mission district, but he's also a high school graduate heading to college. La Mission won't join the canon of memorable Latino films, but that's okay. It shouldn't try to. While Gregory Nava's movies, Blood In, Blood Out, and even Zoot Suit are forever emblazoned in our cultural collective consciousness, they are antiquated and no longer serve as an accurate reflection of who we are. While La Mission is not the film that defines what new Latino cinema will be, it's definitely a step in the right direction. You can catch La Mission at the American Indian Film Festival on Saturday November 7th, at the Landmark Embarcadero Center Cinema in San Fransisco, California.