PIC of the Week – Blue Bayou
Article Series by Ray Schillaci
I was in the midst of writing my POTW when I happen to take a break and watch a film that peaked my curiosity. I knew little about it except that it was a love/hate with critics and that audiences loved it. Now, I can understand that when it comes to an action blockbuster, but a simple indie drama?
As I settled into the Universal Home Entertainment release of Justin Chon’s Blue Bayou, I came to realize once again the difference between myself and so many of my fellow critics, I watch movies from an audience point of view rather than someone who approaches film in an academic way. That is exactly why I loved Blue Bayou, a raw emotional experience that will have you laughing, feeling good one moment and then angry and tugging at your heart the next.
Producer/writer/director/actor Justin Chon plays Korean born Antonio LeBlanc who was raised in the Louisiana bayou since he was three years-old. The man is now happily married to Kathy (Alicia Vikander or Ex Machina and The Danish Girl), with a small stepchild and a baby on the way. He works at a tattoo parlor, trying to make ends meet all the while looking for a better job to support his family. But, his past hampers that possibility as a couple of felonies haunt him. He’s paid his debt to society and works hard to turn his life around. That does not matter to potential employers that only see his past and his looks, primarily his abundance of tattoos.
Kathy is a rehabilitation nurse. She is well aware of her husband’s struggles and does nothing but love and support him. And, there is this wonderful bond between Antonio and his stepdaughter, Jessie. Between financial woes and Jessie’s absentee father, Ace, deciding he wants to see his daughter, the family remains strong until an unfortunate incident happens with Antonio. He is harassed in a supermarket by two cops, Ace and his partner Denny.
Denny ends up arresting Antonio which leads to an investigation into his citizenship. Antonio is told that he will be deported to Korea due to a loophole in the law. He barely remembers the place and has no friends or family there. The family is forced to hire an attorney they cannot afford to try to keep them together. The odds are against Antonio with few reputable friends, his criminal past and little funds.
This is an important powerhouse of a movie. It’s filled with daring decisions on the part of writer/director Chon. The performances are beautifully grounded and you cannot help but feel you are watching a real life story being recreated with the utmost care. In reality, Chon has captured with unflinching honesty what so many “Dreamers” have faced over the years. The viewer cannot help but cry foul over the injustice that is dealt to this wonderful family and all those who have experienced this in the past, present and future.
This 1080p picture can be beautiful as well as harsh depending on the mood director Chon stirs you in. There is the occasional grain that goes with some night scenes and in the tattoo parlor. Then there are the gorgeous sunrises and sunsets (as Chon’s character contemplates his choices in life), along with the illumination of the bayou. The colors are purely mesmerizing. Flesh tones are so incredibly natural. Alicia Vikander practically glows even with the little make up she may have on.
This DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 captures the gritty dark feel of the rough end of Louisiana while at the same time provides a beautiful track during the solemn moments that take our breath away. Dialogue is never sacrificed. At the same time, the few action sequences there are have a punch to the gut feeling.
Not much in the way of supplements. I would think a film with such a powerful message would have at least a piece dedicated to “Dreamers” and their plight. What we do get is…
• Digital code
• Deleted scenes
• The Making of…
Justin Chon speaks from the heart of “Dreamers” and dreamers in general. This film cannot help hit a nerve and it deserves to be seen as a stark example of what the current immigration laws are doing to individuals and families that have come to the states as innocent children whose parents were looking to find them a better life only to be drastically evicted from the home they grew up in. Chon and Vikander deliver both nuanced and extremely powerful performances that can’t help but break your heart. Blu Bayou is one of the ten best films of the year and I can’t recommend enough.
Lowest Price – $13.95 – Amazon
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