Green Eyes

Lloyd Dubeck is discharged from a VA hospital, walking with a cane and struggling to reinsert himself into civilian life. With little hope of finding steady work, he decides to return to Saigon to search for Em Thuy, the Vietnamese woman he fathered a child with. He only knows the child is a boy with green eyes from a single letter.

In Saigon, Lloyd meets Trung, an orphan who claims to be Lloyd's son and asserts a family resemblance. Trung uses this claim to manipulate him and quickly steals money and Lloyd's jacket, creating tension and mistrust. The encounter tests Lloyd’s ability to discern truth from manipulation.

Trung’s manipulation leads Lloyd to reconnect with Noel Cousins, an old army buddy who has fake his death to desert the Army and now lives in Vietnam. Cousins becomes a practical mentor, offering tips on navigating contacts and the best way to pursue Em Thuy. His presence grounds Lloyd with a disciplined plan.

Lloyd befriends Margaret Sheen, who runs a reception center for orphans. She bluntly explains how mixed-race children are shunned in Vietnamese society and that many are abandoned or die. Her perspective casts a sobering light on Lloyd’s quest and the social obstacles ahead.

Moved by the plight of thousands of street children, Lloyd spends his remaining money and time visiting orphanages. He grows emotionally invested in their welfare and forms a growing bond with Margaret through shared purpose. His search begins to blend with a broader humanitarian impulse.

Cousins outlines a realistic approach to locating Em Thuy and their child, emphasizing the uncertain odds but offering concrete pathways through local networks. He urges patience and pragmatism over idealism. Lloyd absorbs the plan and continues with renewed determination.

Trung persists in accompanying Lloyd and publicly presents himself as Lloyd’s son to various contacts. This display strengthens their uneasy partnership yet adds complexity to the search. Lloyd begins to confront Trung’s own need for belonging alongside his mission.

The pursuit brings them to Em Thuy’s shantytown, where Lloyd learns that his son with Em Thuy is dead and that Em Thuy has a baby with another American serviceman. The revelation crushes his hope of a reunion and redefines the mission he had carried with him. Lloyd’s emotional resolve hardens into a more expansive sense of responsibility.

Despairing and with little money left, Lloyd contemplates leaving Saigon alone. He prepares to depart the hut with Trung seemingly placed elsewhere and questions whether he can support or continue caring for the boy. The moment marks a low point where personal loss clashes with duty.

As Lloyd heads toward the airport, he realizes the depth of his attachment to Trung and decides against leaving him behind. He shifts from a solo mission to a renewed resolve to find Trung, reigniting the sense of chosen family. The impending departure becomes a turning point in his journey.

Lloyd locates Trung and the boy reveals that he has seen green eyes in the mirror, confirming a personal connection. The moment deepens their bond beyond the search’s original purpose and reframes Lloyd’s sense of family. It signals a hopeful new direction for both of them.

In the epilogue, Trung is shown as one of the last orphans allowed to depart Saigon. The closing scenes hint at a fragile future and the beginnings of healing for the characters touched by the war. The film closes on a note of cautious optimism tied to the boy’s departure.