Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Green Card Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf April 7, 2019

In 1989, writer/director Peter Weir made “Dead Poets Society” for Disney. A somewhat intense drama, the film was released during the summer season, with the company scrambling to find a way to get audiences to see it, focusing intently on the star power of Robin Williams, emphasizing his few comedic scenes in the picture. The actor’s change of pace and pure, uncut word-of-mouth turned “Dead Poets Society” into a major hit (the 10th highest grossing movie of the year), giving Weir a chance to make whatever he wanted to. And he chose “Green Card” as the follow-up, returning to the comfort of Disney and their willingness to take a chance on the American screen debut of French actor Gerard Depardieu, giving him a shot to portray warmth and mischief in a romantic comedy. While a respected actor, Depardieu is not easily tamed, giving Weir the unenviable task of softening a hardened screen presence.

Bronte (Andie MacDowell) is a horticulturist trying to score a special apartment in New York City, hoping to start her own greenhouse, giving her a special natural space in the middle of the concrete jungle. To win over the co-op board with marital bliss, she elects to find a quick husband, offering her services to Georges (Gerard Depardieu), a Frenchman in America who needs a green card to remain. Tying the knot, the two quickly go their separate ways, with Bronte moving forward with her professional life, also developing her relationship with boyfriend Phil (Gregg Edelman). However, immigration officials have red flagged the union, forcing Bronte to find Georges, discovering he’s not the artistic soul he initially made himself out to be. Forced to learn everything about each other in a matter of weeks, Bronte and Georges embark on a cohabitation trial, developing intimacy that complicates their previous spousal relationship.

Little is understood about Bronte’s situation at the beginning of “Green Card,” with Weir only offering the basics of awkwardness as the bride meets her groom, with the pair spending a few moments together in a café before getting married at a courthouse. Weir challenges romantic comedy formula by making the meet cute their goodbye, sending Georges off to his life, where he identifies himself as a composer, while Bronte gets to work acquiring a prized apartment which provides a large green space for her to experiment on plants and find some peace. It’s the perfect plan for the twosome, who carry on with daily business, never planning to see each other again.

Weir doesn’t get cutesy with “Green Card,” but there’s comedy to be found in his screenplay, which soon finds Bronte reuniting with Georges, who’s not out in the world scoring ballets, but working as a server in a restaurant, exposing his sketchy life to his wife. INS agents are examining the marriage, setting up the plot of the picture, which has Bronte and Georges living together in the apartment, trying to act like a married couple for government employees who don’t trust the union. It’s the stuff of sitcoms, but Weir plays the reality of the situation, keeping the pair opposites who need to learn everything about each other, struggling through communication issues and basic personality differences, and there’s the wrinkle of Phil, the real love of Bronte’s life.

MacDowell and Depardieu are a strange screen couple, and that’s the idea, giving Weir room to explore the itchiness between the strangers, finding Bronte a high-maintenance type who wants her horticultural world just the way she likes it, while Georges is a blunt Frenchman with a sketchy past, trying to find marital rhythm with his wife. MacDowell isn’t a skilled performer, but she does well in the movie, with Weir pulling more out of the actress than others could. Depardieu seems to be playing himself, but his natural energy is welcome, satisfying expectations of messy communication and big guy oafishness. While the melting of their hearts isn’t nearly as credible, the performers carry the film with charm, working through quirks and acts of emotional exposure, following a familiar arc of attraction.

Green Card Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation looks unexpectedly good for a Disney catalog title, giving "Green Card" a real presence on Blu-ray. Detail does well with facial particulars, protecting the roughness of Depardieu and the softness of MacDowell. Sharpness is also welcome during New Your City travels, finding distances clear and dimensional. Apartment decoration is open for study, capturing personal interests. Colors are balanced and authentic, delivering a natural sense of skintones and period fashion, keeping primaries engaged. Greenery is impressive, contributing a bold feel for nature during visits to Central Park and other community areas. The colder urban mood is also set, dotted with pronounced signage. Delineation is strong. Grain is fine and filmic. Source is in fine shape.

Green Card Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix presents a lively sense of location, with appealing atmospherics that explore the urban landscape and apartment movement. Music is also a major part of the listening event, opening with the hard percussive sounds of a street drummer, while scoring goes softer, with appreciable instrumentation. Soundtrack selections are also distinct, giving Enya's synth world compelling sharpness. Dialogue exchanges are direct, doing well with Depardieu's heavy accent, making line-readings understandable. Argumentative behavior isn't abrasive.

Green Card Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Interview (10:35, HD) with Andie MacDowell recounts her initial hiring for the part, with director Peter Weir asking the actress to retain her "earthy" qualities, including a request to maintain her post-baby weight. MacDowell's French background made her an easy match for co-star Gerard Depardieu, though levels of preparation remained wildly different, with the actor requiring the use of cue cards to get through some scenes. Character examination is offered and MacDowell shares delight in the small scale of "Green Card," praising Weir, who was immensely respectful to the talent and created a special musical mood on-set. The film's ending is recounted, with Disney wanting something more "hopeful," and talk of the Manhattan shoot is shared. The interviewee is very kind to Depardieu, also celebrating the lasting appeal of "Green Card," which is still a fan favorite to this day.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:46, SD) is included.

Green Card Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Green Card" is mild stuff from Weir, who seems to be treating the production as a vacation of sorts, keeping dramatics to a bare minimum, enjoying strolls around NYC, and using Enya on the soundtrack, hoping to secure something approachable to introduce Depardieu to a wide audience. The helmer doesn't completely smooth out rough surfaces, keeping Georges a known liar with a childhood fondness for violence and prostitutes, but there's a concentrated effort to get the Frenchman Americanized (four years after this, Depardieu would be gifted his own Disney vehicle with "My Father the Hero"). The material connects, thanks to Weir's patience and specificity with casting, making an appealing pair out of the leads, while the story has its share of shenanigans, misunderstandings, and tender feelings. "Green Card" isn't a strikingly original endeavor from the director of "Picnic at Hanging Rock," "The Year of Living Dangerously," and "Witness," but there's care with frivolity, even with actors who aren't normally regarded as emotionally available.