Peter, left, and Benjamin Bratt remain connected to their old San Francisco Neighborhood.
(Global Cinema/5 Stick Films Inc.)
Some actors speak fondly of returning home for a pet project.
Benjamin Bratt can't say that about the tough, heartfelt Latino drama "La Mission," however.
Bratt, who plays the lead in the gritty human drama conceived, written and directed by his slightly older brother Peter, doesn't feel he ever left San Francisco's Mission district.
Che (Benjamin Bratt) keeps the lowrider spirit alive. (Global Cinema/5 Stick Films Inc.)
Benjamin, portraying a recovering alcoholic ex-con single father imploding at the notion that his son is gay, told a quintet of assembled entertainment writers in Dallas that the connection to their old neighborhood remains unsevered.
"The neighborhood has always had a huge presence in our life; socially, artistically politically. It was kind of a hub during the '60s and '70s for a lot of the social movements like the Farmworkers Movement, the American Indian Movement. We had the occupation of Alcatraz in '69. It's always been alive that way and very dynamic.
"It had a great impression on us. We actually tried to infuse the film with that spirit, which still is there after decades. There's still kind of a rebellious, artistic, culturally proud spirit that permeates the whole neighborhood, even though it's changed quite a bit since we were young," Benjamin says.
Peter, Benjamin's elder by one year, collaborated with Benjamin once before.
"Follow Me Home," written and directed by Peter, drew a Grand Jury Prize nomination at the Sundance Film Festival in 1996. The ensemble cast included not only Brother Ben, but Alfre Woodard, Salma Hayek and Jesse Borrego, the San Antonio native who also appears in "La Mission."
It's been 14 years between collaborations for the Bratt brothers. Benjamin, of course landed the role of Det. Ray Curtis on NBC's "Law & Order" in the mid-'90s, earning an Emmy nomination for his trouble.
Peter branched out from film-making to pursue activism in the Native American community in the Bay Area, following in the footsteps of the boys' mother, an indigenous woman from Peru involved in the Indian occupation of Alcatraz Island in 1969 and the Wounded Knee stand-off of 1973 (according to the press notes).
Ever since they worked together on "Follow Me Home," Peter says the brothers wanted to repeat the process in their own neighborhood.
"We had always dreamed of making a film in San Francisco, where we're from, and always dreamed of that taking place in our own back yard, the Mission district. I think it was a combination of wanting to collaborate, but wanting to collaborate at home and then also finding a character that could really give an audience a new experience in many ways."
The result, Benjamin adds, is the most complex character he's had the opportunity to play.
"The most fully drawn, I would say. What I found compelling about playing him was that my brother created kind of a cinematic archetype in in Che (Benjamin) in that it doesn't matter if you're from the Latino community, you immediately recognize who this man is. He's an echo of Charles Bronson or Clint Eastwood or Marlon Brando or Al Pacino in 'Scarface,'" Benjamin says.
"(He's) someone who doesn't say much but gets the job done with violence. That was by design, I think, on the part of my brother to create someone the audience would immediately identify with and possibly even revere. That's how we've been socialized, to revere someone who can take care of business with his fists," Benjamin adds.
Some brothers squabble. Benjamin and Peter Bratt are not that kind of siblings.
"We've always wanted to work together, which I think speaks to the fact that historically we've always wanted to be around one another. We've been best friends since we were young boys," Benjamin says.
"And whether we were playing together or causing mischief or working together in some of those early jobs like a paper route or picking weeds or painting fences or building decks, we always enjoyed spending time with one another. As we've evolved into storytellers, it's a happy coincidence that artistically we find ourselves very much aligned. It's a lot of fun," he adds.
In case you're wondering, Benjamin, who returned for a guest appearance on "Law & Order" last season, is not surprised that NBC's old police detective sawhorse is still around after 20 years on the air.
"It remains a high quality, high caliber show," he says. "The key is the fantastic writing. I think people really see that show as kind of a family member."
Any regrets about walking away from the plum network TV acting assignment?
"I have no regrets about leaving when I did," Benjamin says. "I had four years on the show in the late '90s. It was a great run. It was my choice to stay, but I wanted to move on and do other things.
"In hindsight I'm happy that I did because all roads lead to where I am sitting now. I count 'La Mission' as the pinnacle of my professional body of work. I wouldn't have had that opportunity had I stayed on 'Law and Order.' I'd be the richest man in the world, but I wouldn't be here talking to you proudly about 'La Mission.'"
