'Green Dragon'
Immigrant song

IN THE DAYS and weeks that followed the fall of Saigon in 1975, the United States took on the role of big brother, housing the mass exodus of immigrants in desert refugee camps across America. This often unseen aspect of the Vietnam War is explored in Timothy Linh Bui's beautifully crafted directorial debut, a careful examination of the struggle of a people leaving behind families and country in search of hope in an unknown land. After young Minh Pham (Trung Nguyen) awakens amid a sea of sleeping bodies, he wanders outside to catch his first glimpse of Camp Pendleton, the American flag billowing in the background. Through Minh's eyes and actions during his daily search for his lost mother, we are introduced to a host of characters, including his guilt-ridden uncle, Tai Tran (Don Duong), camp sergeant Jim Lance (Patrick Swayze), and a melancholy volunteer cook named Addie (Forest Whitaker). Each is struggling with his own personal conflicts because of the war, and common elements emerge that draw the men closer as the days progress. Yet the film is most interesting when it drifts away from these newly formed relationships, focusing on the dislocation of the camp residents. There are harrowing scenes of refugees being dragged from their tents, frightened of the life that awaits them in America, and tender scenes of lost family members posting pictures on the camp bulletin board, hoping to be reunited with loved ones. Kramer Morgenthau's hazy cinematography drapes the film in a distinct sense of loss, emphasizing the unknown future of the people depicted. (Adam Wadenius)