Writer/Director Justin Chon fashions a highly effective, emotional drama in Blue Bayou, and in doing so makes a very personal statement about the plight of resident immigrants. This labor of love features strong performances and shows a triple threat filmmaker in command.
Antonio (Chon) is a Korean who was adopted as a child amid ambiguous immigration laws and grows to have an interracial family with his wife Kathy (Alicia Vikander), her daughter Jessie (Sydney Kowalske is adorable), and their new baby on the way. With little formal education, he works at a tattoo parlor and struggles to make ends meet. When Kathy’s ex-husband scuffles with him, Antonio must face deportation due to outdated immigration rules. Meanwhile, he befriends an Asian woman who takes an interest in his life. As the threat of losing his family looms, he must face his hidden, traumatic past and look to his family for support and love.
This
is Chon’s film all the way as he enhances mood and atmosphere with some
striking shots of the Louisiana bayou. His
Antonio is an affecting, complex character who may have had past scrapes with
the law yet maintains his principals when helping a dying tattoo client.
Vikander is in fine form even doing an appealing vocal of the tile song.
It
is the relationship between father and stepdaughter that forms the centerpiece
of the narrative. When other films could
have wrapped up a satisfying ending, Chon
bravely opts for turning this into a cautionary tale with a distinct message
that elicits a strong response and a call to action. It’s an
impassioned plea that mirrors real life families documented in the end
credits. It’s a story worth viewing and makes one look forward to Chon’s next
project.
***1/2
of ****stars
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