La Mission

This story of a father-son relationship was very interesting in a good sort of way. The film has been handled with reality and tenderness with great performances by the principal cast. Set in the Mission district of SF and the thriving Latino culture there, it shows a father's struggle to accept his teenage son's gay tendencies.

Che, a recovering alcoholic and a reformed inmate is a powerful man respected throughout the Mission area for his masculinity and his strength. He is a bus driver who spends his nights and weekends lovingly restoring vintage low-rider cars. He hangs out with his friends who are all now into vintage cars and their families. He has a loving son Jesse for whom he wants to do everything. When the neighbor Lena comes to their building, he initially dismisses her but slowly warms upto her. Things fall apart when Che finds out that Jesse is probably gay and that he has been hanging out with a blonde guy at gay bars. Che reacts with anger and violence and this is when Lena supports Jesse. Jesse leaves him to stay with his uncle. Things go wild and once in some street fight Jese gets shot. Che takes care of him, brings him home but tells him that he still doesn't accept what he is. He tries to understand Jesse being gay but cannot and loses his temper again and goes back to alcohol. Jesse can't deal with this anymore and starts living with his boyfriend. Che now needs to adjust and make peace or he'll lose his son, his only family.

Che has given a really powerful performance in this film. The scenes between him and his on screen brother give us an authentic loving depiction of the Latino culture in the Mission. Jesse has also acted well as the teenage of today's time who is confident and comfortable with his sexuality and doesn't mind getting on with his father if need be but at the same time he also truly cares about the man. A tighter editing of the film would have helped a little.

The film is a small, intimate jewel that is both touching and enjoyable. (7/10)