Green Dragon Movie Review 2001

Tai (Duong) is a former Army translator now appointed camp manager at a Vietnamese refugee camp in 1975. He brings a nephew, Minh, and a niece, Anh, as well as a boatload of guilt over leaving their mother behind. He forms a bond with his boss, Jim (Swayze) who seems gruff but has his own issues. The camp cook (Whitaker) helps Minh open up by teaching him to paint and working with him on a mural depicting an idealized American melting pot, with the titular Green Dragon at its center. Various subplots and periods of heavy-handed sentimantality threaten to overwhelm fine character study, but overall this is an engaging look at a period of American history previously ignored.

Distribution

Sony Pictures Home Video, Sony Pictures Plz., 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232, Phone: (310)244-7306, Fax: (310)280-2485, URL: http://www.spe.sony.com, Remarks: Formerly Columbia Tristar Home Entertainment

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 113 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Concentration/Internment Camps, Period Piece: 1970s, Asian America, Art & Artists, Culture Clash, Aunts & Uncles, Nieces & Nephews

Screenplay

Tony Bui, Timothy Linh Bui

Cast

Don Duong, Patrick Swayze, Forest Whitaker, Hiep Thi Le, Kieu Chinh, Billinger C. Tran, Trung Hieu Nguyen, Long Nguyen, Jennifer Tran

Cinematography

Kramer Morgenthau

Director

Timothy Linh Bui

Music

Mychael Danna, Jeff Danna