La Mission

Last night, my husband and I had the pleasure of a date night. Here it is, almost ten years after I stepped off the plane to my new home on the west coast, and he and I still go on dates. I love it!

 

There was nothing particularly unusual about last night. We didn’t go to any wild performances, or have to travel any great length of time. Rather, it was the classic “date” of dinner, a movie, and dessert. I think the only way to make it any more old fashioned would be to add “Coney Island” into the mix. 

 

Movie-wise, we went to see “La Mission”. I will not give away any spoilers. Rather, suffice it to say that it was an amazing performance by Benjamin Bratt portraying a single father in the barrio area of San Francisco, coping with the challenges of alcoholism and recovery, homophobia, bigotry, change, cultural differences, etc. This film boasts no wild special effects. It boasts no massive action/adventure. And aside from Benjamin Bratt, it had no big names. Yet, the movie provided a glimpse through the window of a particular subpopulation and a very realistic view of that which can and does happen to average people on an average day.

 

I think one of the things I liked the most was the realism. La Mission presented an unapologetic portrayal of humanity. People is people – flawed and broken. People can be loving, while also being hurtful. People can be tough, while also being tender. People can do the wrong things not because they are evil, but because ultimately they just aren’t as strong as they want to be or think that they are. People do what they do to survive. And ultimately, some people… most probably…find themselves lost and alone at some point in their lives.

 

If you like Benjamin Bratt, you’ll love this movie.

If you like movies that explore the foibles of human behavior, you’ll love this movie.

If you like movies that feature a flawed hero, you’ll love this movie.

If you like movies that have a social theme without cramming it down your throat, you’ll love this movie.

If you liked “Crash,” I think you’ll love this movie.

In short, go see this movie.