The Farewell

The Farewell is a tribute to family and an exploration of what sets Chinese culture apart from our own. Writer/Director Lulu Wang drew upon the true story of her own grandmother to inspire this film, and the authenticity of the story shined through. There's something special going on in The Farewell, because I went through an emotional journey with the main character. It's strange how you can start the film feeling that this entire idea and the pretense of their trip to China is so wrong, and then end up seeing the value of it to the point that you don't want the charade ruined. I can't even point to a particular moment or event that was the tipping point which changed my mind, and I don't know if our main character could either. She is clearly transformed by this time with her family, and begins to see that the way of life in China is different, but that doesn't mean it's wrong. The other thing that was magical about The Farewell is that it managed to find humor in the darkness. It's not a big goofy and hilarious comedy, in fact I probably shed more tears than I laughed, but considering how this whole film could feel because of the subject matter, the fact that I was able to find joy in some moments was great.

There were a number of great performances in The Farewell. I absolutely adored Shuzhen Zhao as the grandmother Nai Nai. She has such a delightful joy in her performance that you instantly fall in love with her. I think Awkwafina did a fine job as Billi, the protagonist. I did question some times if she was capable of portraying the layers of emotions that would be going through her character's mind, but she was good enough that she didn't take me out of the film. I also thought that Tzi Ma and Yongbo Jiang were marvelous as the two brothers who are trying to be the emotionless rocks for their family, and sometimes find that they too can't hide their feelings indefinitely. The Farewell also has a beautiful visual aesthetic, and I loved the way some of the shots were framed. There are a few scenes where just the staging and the way they cut to a shot made me laugh out loud. It's one of those movies where I felt there was a lot of thought and intention in the way things looked. Perhaps that comes from Lulu Wang visualizing these events so vividly from her past, and knowing how they needed to look and feel on the big screen. The Farewell is a heart-warming film that made me think about what I would do in the same situation, and made me cry a lot too. Getting me both emotionally and logically invested in the plot is an impressive feat.

Shuzhen Zhao's hospital report says she has terminal cancer. She has perhaps four months to live. They don't tell her. Instead, the family rushes the marriage of Awkafina's cousin so that they can gather with one one last time, without letting her know anything is wrong.

It's been many years since a good friend insisted I look at Ang Lee's THE WEDDING BANQUET and EAT DRINK MAN WOMAN one after the other. When they were done, he said "Well?" and I said "They're so Jewish!" With his comedies of manners about an emigrant culture that sustains itself willy-nilly, rejected by and rejecting the mainstream, both groups are similar in their reliance on family and the dinner table as a means of staying together. Writer-director Lulu Wang's movie is of a piece with these two, with some very entertaining performances, and insight into what family means to people who are forced to be apart.

'The Farewell (2019)' is proudly based on an actual lie, one told (and apparently maintained to this day) by director Wang's own family. It's perhaps no wonder, then, that the film feels so thoroughly realistic, despite its somewhat outlandish central conceit. It's, essentially, a slice-of-life drama concerning a worldly Chinese family's attempts to grieve in secret, focusing specifically on Chinese-American Billi as she tries her best to conflate her 'westernised' ideas with her family's 'eastern' wishes. This theme is delicately explored and its conclusions are wonderfully accepting, but it sits firmly as the backdrop for the sometimes strained, yet always loving, family dynamics on display. Everything just seems so grounded, with relationships that feel so lifelike you could almost swear they were real. This makes the experience subtle yet stirring. Often, it mirrors everyday life all too closely. The piece isn't always riveting, or ever conventionally exciting, but it's always enjoyable and often emotionally resonant. By its end, it's hard not to have been moved. In fact, you may not realise just how much it has touched you until just before its credits roll. 7/10

A beautiful portrayal of a long farewell and an insight into the difference between western an eastern culture. Powerful performances through and well worth a watch.

I don't really know how I can describe the feeling I felt at the end of the movie. It is heartbreaking especially one of the later shots but you kind of feel like you need more resolution or more of an end.

And I know films don't always need a clear cut beginning and end but I just felt like the characters didn't really grow or change. Like I felt we ended exactly where we started the film. Like nothing changed.

One more negative thing was the tone seemed a bit all over the shop. Very sad scenes would play out and then it would drop the dramatic effect for comedy and it just didn't seem to flow very well into each other. And some sequences just seemed like they belonged in entirely different movies like The Hangover or something. It was kind of strange.

I actually enjoyed this movie believe it or not. You could tell it was lovingly made and was so personal. Awkwafina was great and so was Shuzhen Zhao. The films was best when them two were sharing scenes together. They made you feel how much the characters cared for each other.

The score was also quite haunting. It fit the sombreness of the movie.

So I would say you could watch it but you need to be in the right mood as it can get pretty sad.