5 movies open Sept. 17 at Seattle-area theaters; here’s what to see — and skip

★★★ (out of four) “Blue Bayou” (R; 112 minutes): Filmmaker Justin Chon has dedicated his craft to writing and directing slice-of-life indie gems that depict the Asian American experience. His latest, in which he plays a Korean adoptee in Louisiana facing deportation, just might be his best yet. Where it succeeds is in the quiet moments: the emotional gaze of Chon’s character taking in his wife (Alicia Vikander) singing the titular song at a family cookout, or his stepdaughter (Sydney Kowalske) finding comfort in a hug from Daddy. Those are the moments that linger, that tear your heart open to the message that Chon hopes to impart, about an immigration policy that has ripped adopted folks from their families and homes. Full review here. Multiple theaters. — Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service

★★★ “The Eyes of Tammy Faye” (PG-13; 126 minutes): Thanks to director Michael Showalter’s pacey storytelling, lively attention to period detail and generosity toward his subjects, and thanks to the game central performances of Andrew Garfield and Jessica Chastain as televangelists Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, this biopic captures a woman and her zeitgeist with an appealing mixture of campy joie de vivre and genuine thoughtfulness, producing an affecting portrait, not just of the limits of faith, but its depths and sincerity. “The Eyes of Tammy Faye” gives viewers an absorbing, amusing and provocative chance to rethink yet another train wreck who turned out to be, of all things, human. Full review here. Multiple theaters. — Ann Hornaday, The Washington Post

“Copshop” (R; 107 minutes): Director Joe Carnahan’s enjoyable, slow-burn action movie features a smart script, sharp direction, strong cast — and the emergence of a possible star. In Gun Creek, Nevada, a sketchy dude (Frank Grillo) gets himself arrested for assaulting a police officer. Soon after, a drunken driver (Gerard Butler) gets himself clinked into the facing cell. The sketchy dude turns out to be a shady fixer trying to save his own life by weaseling his way into unwitting police protection. However, the “drunk” turns out to be an efficient contract killer closing in on him. Between them is a young, determined, cool-as-the-other-side-of-the-pillow rookie officer, played by Alexis Louder, who is the star of this show. Grillo and Butler are quite good, but Louder’s screen presence is powerful. Full review here. The Los Angeles Times does not provide star ratings with reviews. Multiple theaters. — Michael Ordona, Los Angeles Times

 ★ “Cry Macho” (PG-13; 104 minutes): The one-time Dirty Harry, Clint Eastwood, now 91, directs and stars as a crotchety old cowboy pressed into transporting a teenager (Eduardo Minett) from Mexico to America. It’s apparently supposed to be a meditation on masculinity, with Eastwood’s one-time rodeo star taming and rebuilding his rebellious charge into an honorable young man. Instead, it’s a meditation on clumsy and predictable filmmaking. But it has perhaps the best performance by a rooster in modern cinematic history. Full review here. Multiple theaters and on HBO Max. — Mark Kennedy, The Associated Press

“My Name is Pauli Murray” (PG-13; 91 minutes): This documentary looks at the life of Pauli Murray, a nonbinary Black lawyer, activist and poet who influenced both Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Thurgood Marshall. Crest and on Amazon.