MovieChat Forums > Green Card (1991) Discussion > 'Africa travels' = huge plot hole?

'Africa travels' = huge plot hole?

posted 14 years ago by niobecat
7 replies | jump to latest

Here's something that has never made sense to me and has made even less sense to me as I've rewatched the movie: Bronte and Georges tell everyone that Georges has been traveling in Africa, which makes sense with their friends and neighbors, but wouldn't the INS know that's false? After all, isn't the whole point of the movie's marriage set-up that Georges has overstayed his tourist visa and can't legally work here? Surely INS would have a record of his exits and returns to the U.S.

[–] andromache3 13 years ago

Wasn't that just a story for their friends and nosy neighbours? I don't remember them telling that story to anyone from the INS.

"When we make mistakes, it's evil. When God makes mistakes, it's nature."

[–] josephine38 13 years ago

I finished watching it half an hour ago people from INS already knew about the travel to Africa when they came to Bronte's apartment for the first time. They asked Bronte and Georges if they live together and said something like "We've just heard that you were in Africa", so Georges told the whole story about traveling, shooting elephants etc. I think it wasn't explained in the movie (unless I missed that part), but it was probably the janitor/door-keeper (I'm not a native speaker, don't know what is the right word) who told them when they came to the building. He was really excited about Africa and even brought his children to show them Georges and ask about the travel so I can picture him talking about it to the strangers.

I also thought it was a huge plot hole. I couldn't believe they get away with something like this and got caught at the question about a face cream. INS would have deported him right after the first interview for faking the travel story. Even if they didn't know he was faking at the time of the visit, they would have checked it right after coming back to the office. It was too suspicious to overlook.

[–] nutsberryfarm 10 years ago

lucky he didn't get the ebola.

🚲🏪🇺🇸

[–] Danusha_Goska 10 years ago

This movie makes no sense on so many levels and the Africa plot hole is huge.

Still love the movie, though. It's all about colors and the leads and the music.

http://www.amazon.com/Save-Send-Delete-Danusha-Goska/dp/1846949866

[–] nutsberryfarm 10 years ago

great music. 

🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴

[–] LilyDaleLady 9 years ago

I just saw this film again, first time in a few years -- just this evening. In the first scene where the two INS agents visit Bronte & George, they ask where they met. They DO tell the Africa story to them.

Yes, this is a HUGE plot hole. It's amazingly stupid, actually. A lot of things in this film make me wonder if NOBODY ever fact checked or edited the script! (I do know the director is Australian, and much of the crew, so maybe they just had no idea about US immigration laws.)

The INS would have records of their passports and when they entered or left the US. I mean -- duh. They would know shortly if you were lying; that's the POINT of them INVESTIGATING. It is really stupid to lie to them. (Now, this was 1990, but today, they would have laptops and check you out instantly. Back then, maybe it took 24 hours.)

I know the "humor" is in them creating bigger and bigger lies they cannot sustain, but really, it's dumb and not realistic at all. I might add, it is really really illegal. Not just "cute funny not-quite-legal". It's a crime, and you can go to jail for immigration fraud.

[–] elfiglass 11 years ago

I thought the same. They did tell the agents the same story when they did the home visit. It makes no sense.