Antonio LeBlanc (Justin Chon) is a hard working man who was born in Korea, adopted by a couple that lived in Louisiana. All he has known as his home is NOLA and the bayou country. Hear him speak and one would figure he was a good old boy until you see him.
His wife, Kathy (Alicia Vikander) is expecting soon and they already have a little girl, Jesse (Sydney Kowalske) from Kathy’s first marriage. Antonio is the only daddy that Jesse has ever known. Her biological father, Ace (Mark O’Brien) had not wanted a relationship with her until recently. Ace is a police officer, who is partnered with an officer with questionable choices. His partner kicks off this more than an administrative nightmare for Antonio.
Written, directed and starring Justin Chon, the film addresses a situation that has developed in the past few years. Antonio, being an adoptee, was not acknowledged as an American citizen.One may recall that a couple of years ago, there was mass deportations of people who were not citizens of this country.
Thousands of people who were adoptees that grew up in the United States who were not citizens but have only known the US as home. The situation caused the deportation of so many that were sent back to a country that they did not recognize, with language and social conduct that were entirely foreign to them.
Antonio knows that he needs to find a second job in order to afford the cost of a second child. His life becomes more difficult with additional legal complications. He needs to come up with more money in order to pay for his lawyer.
While he is trying to get more business to come into the tattoo shop, he befriends a Vietnamese woman Parker Nguyen (Lin Dam Pham) who teaches the value of family and culture. She is also fighting cancer and trying to live her life as fully as she can.
Even though the subject being addressed is deportation, the film addresses the importance of love, family, friends, belonging and home.The actors have given performances of incredible depth. I hope this garners a lot of recognition for Justin Chon and the cast.
4.5 out of 5 stars.
