By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.5 cats
Director: Justin Chon
Starring: Alicia Vikander | Emory Cohen | Justin Chon | Linh Dan Pham | Mark O'Brien | Sydney Kowalske | Vondie Curtis-Hall
Country: canada, united_states
Year: 2021
Running time: 117
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11121664/reference
Michael says: “Is it okay to tear apart a family to uphold the law? What if the law is simply a little-known requirement to fill out some bureaucratic paperwork? That is the story Korean-American writer/director/actor Justin Chon tackles in BLUE BAYOU. Life in the Louisiana bayou is the only life Korean-born Antonio LeBlanc has ever known, after being adopted as a toddler. After running afoul of the law as an adult, he’s served his time and settled down with his lovely wife Kathy, and her daughter Jessie from a previous relationship. Now Kathy is expecting a child with Antonio, and Jessie is worried that her dad will leave her behind when he has one of his own. Antonio assures Jessie that this is not the case, and she will always be his daughter. There are lots of complications surrounding Antonioni’s life, however, primarily being his inability to raise enough money to support his family as a tattoo artist without resorting to his past criminal ways. His wife’s ex- is a police officer, although not entirely unsympathetic, although is partner has Antonio in his sights to take down. There’s also the mystery of Antonio’s foster parents, with whom he has had no contact with for years, at his choice, and the even more tragic mystery of his birth mother and why he was given up for adoption. There’s also the Vietnamese woman he befriends who has some serious issues of her own ,that show Antonio another perspective on the life of an immigrant. All of these factors will come into play when ICE gets their hands on Antonio, and beings the deportation process despite his legal adoption in the 80’s. Apparently the proper paperwork wasn’t filled out when a new law was passed, and Antonio is not a legal citizen.
“It’s a tough story with no easy solutions, and Chon, who writes/directs and stars as Antonio, doesn’t make it easy for any of the characters. While some of the turns the story takes seem excessive, as if to prove a point, and the ending gets a little over-the-top, it’s also emotionally effective and wrenching. Chon’s direction is strong, bringing the setting to life, bringing a surreality to some of Antonio’s memories, and other striking visuals that seamlessly blend together. His acting too is powerful, as is the acting from the other actors, especially Alicia Vikander as Kathy and Sydney Kowalske as young Jesse, who is called up for some pretty serious drama. Nice to see Vondie Curtis-Hall in a small supporting role as well. So despite the uneven tone, and the occasional lapse into emotionally-manipulative territory, BLUE BAYOU is a strong film that deserves an audience. 3 1/2 cats”