The San Francisco International Film Festival opened this year with La Mission, filmed in and about the Mission District. Directed by Peter Bratt, it centers around Che (Benjamin Bratt), a single father, lowrider car aficionado, and hot Muni bus driver.
The opening shot swoons into the city from an aerial view and into the gritty corner of 16th and Mission, where lo and behold the 14-Mission bus pulls up with our hero at the wheel. He tells people to step it up and move on back. Che is immediately lovable. I hate it when people get on Muni like confused, drugged snails. Che then tells everyone to get along “because we’re all neighbors” and closes the bus door. Love him!
When teenagers get on with music blasting from a boom box, Che puts an end to it right away. Tattered up, hair slicked back, geared up in Muni brown complete with a tight little vest, Che makes Chuck Norris look like a kitty cat.
I’m not sure if this film will be released in theaters, but if it does, the diverse San Francisco backdrops are enough to make it worth seeing. In a way, the Mission, the Castro, and North Beach all play a role in telling the story. And some endearing scenes take place at the Muni bus depot in Potrero Hill.
Che is far from perfect and he struggles with “a lifetime of destructive habits,” but I for one wouldn’t mind getting on his bus.
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Lots of people wouldn’t mind getting on Benjamin Bratt’s “bus.”
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Hmm if Benjamin Bratt pulled up in a Muni at my stop, I’m pretty sure I’ll do whatever he asks. Fantasies aside, I can’t wait to see this movie.
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Looks great! (The movie and of course our local boy)
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Benjamin Bratt is queer!
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jeff Reply:
April 28th, 2009 at 2:15 pm
wow, “Anonymous,” dunno how a) that’s helpful, or whether b) it’s true. not sure i care, either. i do want to see this movie about my neighborhood, though. and if it involves a main character who drives a Muni bus, all the better.
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Anonymous….your SOOOOO wrong and SOOOOO immature !!! I’m personally involved with this film and I think Ben’s wife Talisa would strongly disagree. This is a powerful film that speaks to all cultures.
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