Synopsis
A tale about Vietnamese refugees sent to an orientation camp on the Camp Pendleton Marine Base in California, 'Green Dragon' focuses on a young boy and his sister. Set in 1975, the film chronicles the stories told to the two children by other refugees in the camp and of Tai Tran, who dares to introduce himself to Sergeant Jim Lance. In developing a relationship with Lance, Tran is able to improve
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Cast
- Patrick SwayzeGunnery Sergeant Jim Lance
- Forest WhitakerAddie
- Duong DonTai Tran
- Hiep Thi LeThuy Hoa
- Billinjer C. TranDuc (as Billinjer Tran)
- Kathleen LuongSecond Wife
- Phuoc Quan NguyenLoi
- Long NguyenQuang Hai
- Catherine AiHien
- Kiều ChinhKieu
Recommendations
- 80
Los Angeles Times
A gracious, eloquent film that by its end offers a ray of hope to the refugees able to look ahead and resist living in a past forever lost. - 75
New York Post
Director Timothy Linh employs a delicate - but never sentimental - touch which, combined with strong performances from the principals and Kramer Morgenthau's vivid cinematography, makes for a transporting experience. - 60
Variety
An ultimately moving drama about a displaced people. But its emotional kick is muffled by long-windedness, sentimental overkill and an overpopulated character gallery. - 50
New York Daily News
The Buis seem not to have complete confidence in their unique, imprecise style, which is too bad. - 50
Village Voice
Green Dragon's portrait of refugee angst is decidedly glossy; the grief and lostness are glimpsed rather than explored. - 50
New Times (L.A.)
The film is often moving and explores the discomfort inherent in the contacts between the American "hosts" and their "guests," but its effect is diluted by slow pacing and lengthiness. - 50
Christian Science Monitor
Takes a humane look at an episode in recent history that's received little attention. - 50
TV Guide Magazine
The downside is that many of these characters are hastily sketched and their stories unsatisfactorily developed.
