Justin Chon is one of the most intriguing up-and-coming filmmakers in the industry right now. However, he has yet to fully become a household name with his previous directorial outings. That said, perhaps “Blue Bayou” will be that film, thanks to a major Cannes debut and the inclusion of Alicia Vikander to the cast.
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As seen in the trailer for “Blue Bayou,” the film stars Chon and Vikander as a married couple who are just trying to get by in small-town Louisiana. However, their lives get thrown into chaos when Chon’s character, Antonio, is thrown into jail for getting into a fight with a police officer and ICE is contacted due to his previously unknown issues with immigration. From there, the man who was brought into the US at the age of 3 and adopted now has to fight for his citizenship and his family, as he faces possible deportation.
Joining Chon and Vikander in the cast are Mark O’Brien, Linh Dan Pham, and Emory Cohen. As mentioned, the film is written and directed by Chon, who broke out in a big way thanks to his 2017 feature, “Gook.” That said, all signs point to “Blue Bayou” as the probable film that will really push the filmmaker to the next level.
“Blue Bayou” arrives in theaters, via Focus Features, on September 17. You can watch the trailer below.
Here’s the synopsis:
An official selection of the 2021 Cannes Film Festival from award-winning writer/director Justin Chon, Blue Bayou is the moving and timely story of a uniquely American family fighting for their future. Antonio LeBlanc (Chon), a Korean adoptee raised in a small town in the Louisiana bayou, is married to the love of his life Kathy (Alicia Vikander) and step-dad to their beloved daughter Jessie. Struggling to make a better life for his family, he must confront the ghosts of his past when he discovers that he could be deported from the only country he has ever called home.