Green Card (1990)

Directed by Peter Weir. Starring Gérard Depardieu, Andie MacDowell, Bebe Neuwirth, Gregg Edelman, Lois Smith, Robert Prosky, Ann Dowd, Conrad McLaren, Ethan Phillips. Mary Louise Wilson, Ronald Guttman. [PG-13]

Serving as director, writer and producer, it’s obvious that this was something of a passion project for Weir, but it’s difficult to understand why; not only does it bear little resemblance to his earlier pictures (either as part of the Australian New Wave like Picnic at Hanging Rock, or his more commercial American work like Witness), but it adheres to so many rom-com clichés—random encounters, misunderstandings, opposite attraction, etc.—that there’s almost nothing here that has the imprint of an auteur. Depardieu is a French immigrant who wants citizenship and MacDowell is an American who can improve her situation with marriage credentials; they meet briefly, get hitched for “official status,” and part ways, but when Immigration comes around to investigate the authenticity of the coupling, they’re forced to get to know each other. In his first English-language role, Depardieu is okay, and so is MacDowell, but there’s minimal spark between them, and there’s not enough zip or sparkle in the writing to make up for lapses in credibility and predictable plot turns. A few funny scenes (e.g., Depardieu’s piano performance at a stuffy party) and general likability carries it across the finish line, but it’s a long and rocky road getting there. The music selections, both from Hans Zimmer and recording artists like Enya and Soul II Soul, are fine on their own, but don’t really gel with the material.

52/100