A recovering alcoholic and bus driver by day, Che is respected throughout the Mission barrio for his masculinity and toughness.

He ultimately settled on San Francisco's Mission District, saying, "In my mind it's one of the most unique American neighborhoods in the country and it has a dynamic that I don't think you can duplicate anywhere else.

[2] Several scenes in the movie make subtle hints at environmentally friendly themes, such as converting lowriders to run on biodiesel.

[4] The cast and crew eliminated the use of water bottles and used composting on set, while the art department allowed for green product placement in the film.

[4] La Mission subsequently earned an Environmental Media Association (EMA) Green Seal Award in 2009 as the result of their production practices.

"[16] Ebert noted "La Mission is forthright in avoiding easy answers", but he also felt the screenplay needed to give the characters more complexity.

[16] In contrast, James Greenberg of The Hollywood Reporter opined the Bratt brothers "capture the conflicts of the Latino community in which they were raised.

"[17] In a positive review for The Austin Chronicle, Marjorie Baumgarten wrote the "film oozes with location detail and a knowing sense of Latino culture.