Plot Details: This opinion reveals minor details about the movie's plot.

La Mission (2009) Directed by Peter Bratt

"Stay Brown."
"Can't do nothing but."-Repeated Exchange.

Che Rivera (Benjamin Bratt) is a respected man in his neighborhood of the Mission District in San Francisco; he es muy macho, with his prison yard physique and extensive tattoo farm, but he is also an upright citizen; he paid his debt, he works hard, he's a recovering alcoholic working the steps, and he takes great care with his two passions; restoring classic cars into work of art Low Riders, and raising his son, Jesse (Jeremy Ray Valdez).  Che is a good father, a patient father, and when he senses his son pulling away, not going to the pickup games of  basketball, not going on the Friday night cruise of Low Riders, he knows something is up.  But since Jesse is still a straight A student, he figures it isn't drugs, and gives the kid time to work it out for himself.

Jesse's problem is la amor; more specifically, who he loves.  That would be Jordan (Max Rosenak) a rich white boy.  Jesse got problems.

Che has a few problems of his own.  One is upstairs neighbor Lena (Erika Alexander) one of the upscale intruders into his barrio.  Lena is black, beautiful, and utterly perplexing to Che.  She is fierce, but scared.  She busts his chops for fixing his car on the sidewalk and other violations of the yuppie code, but every argument he makes with her, she comes back fierce and low with a one liner about his anger that usually shuts him up.  In one of those typical dating dynamics, they will either end up loving or hating one another.  We discover she works for a battered Women's Shelter, and suddenly, much of her attitude makes sense.  This is the little girl facing down the big dog, and winning.

But then Che discovers Jesse's secret, and his world changes.  He kicks his son out; they end up brawling in the street, making sure that the entire neighborhood knows.  And being gay in the Latino community...there was a reason Jesse kept his secret.

What follows is a redefinement of their lives.  Jesse goes to live with Tio Rene (Jesse Borrego) and Tia Ana (Talisa Soto).  Che has to deal with the neighborhood now.  Che used to walk the streets with a swagger, and a polite bit of banter for everyone he met.  Now, he sees them looking at him, and changing the subject, or worse, stifling a laugh.  His circle of friends though, are atypical; they are not so worried about Jesse being gay, just in helping Che find his way to deal with it.  Great guys, one and all.  That bit maybe a little too Hollywood.

What follows is Che working on coming to terms he can live with; will he drive his son away, unable to accept this core principle of his being?  Will this crisis drive him back into the bottle?  Will he find a way to hook up with Lena?  More to the point, will he discover what stands in their path?  Will Jesse even survive coming out in La Mission?

Some people have said that Peter Bratt approaches coming out in Latino communities with the subtlety of Che's hammering fist.  I suspect these reviewers are white.  I have watched this drama unfold in Latino families; and if anything, this is rather tame.  Usually, there is a lot more screaming and crying.

At anyrate, what the Bratt Brothers have made is far more than just a PFLAG how to manual.  It is a real gripping drama about the difficulties of having a gay son or daughter, particularly in a culture notorious for staunch opposition to acceptance.  It is a window into a different world, and oddly, a rather sweet romance.  Heterosexual at that.  For once, the focus on the film is on the family of the gay, and the fallout of their being outed.  And any one of those factors would make it well worth watching.

Gay Movies:

Ice Blues: A Donald Strachey Mystery***La Mission***Burnt Money***8: The Mormon Propo$ition***In The Flesh***The Sensei***The 24th Day***Wrangler: Anatomy of an Icon***ZMD: Zombies of Mass Destruction***East Side Story***Dorian Blues***Creatures From the Pink Lagoon***Satyricon***Ice Men***Richard O'Briens Rocky Horror Tribute Show***Prom Queen***The Kids are All Right***Between Love and Goodbye***The Mudge Boy***That Man: Peter Berlin***A Single Man***Almost Normal***Outing Riley***Outrage!***Law of Desire***Love is the Devil***Cowboy Junction***Horror in the Wind***Bedrooms and Hallways***Cut Sleeve Boys***Big Eden***For A Lost Soldier***Midnight Cowboy***Redwoods***The Massuer***Boy Culture***Breakfast With Scot***The Fluffer***Flesh***Little Ashes***L.I.E. ***Dorian Gray***9 Dead Gay Guys***Shank***I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry***Beautiful Boxer***Bangkok Love Story***Schoolboy Crush***Shelter***Back Soon***Dog Tags***Theft***The Mulligans***The Velvet Goldmine***Swashbuckler***Smoke Signals
***C'Thulhu***Milk***The Picture of Dorian Gray***Brideshead Revisited***Notes on a Scandal***RocknRolla***Mamma Mia!
***Priscillia: Queen of the Desert***The History Boys***Brokeback Mountain***The Broken Hearts Club*** Yaji and Kita: Midnight Pilgrims ***Surge of Power ***In & Out ***Mambo Italiano ***Touch of Pink ***To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar ***Wolves of Kromer ***Rocky Horror Picture Show ***Taboo ***Deathtrap 


Gay Themed Series:

Spartacus: Blood and Sand
Dante's Cove
Hex
Carnivale Season One
Carnivale Season Two
Rome Season One
Rome Season Two
True Blood
True Blood: Season Two
The Book of Daniel: The Complete Series
Torchwood: Children of Earth
Torchwood: Season One


Gay Animation:

Pirate's Booty***Sensitive Pornograph***Loveless: The Complete Series***Loveless: Hope on the Run***Loveless: Soul of Chains***Loveless: Lost and Found***Embracing Love: A Cicada in Winter***Embracing Love: Cherished Spring ***Stonewall & Riot***Drawn Together Movie: The Movie***Drawn Together: Season 2***Drawn Together: Season 3

Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age