A lie in action
A Chinese family discovers their grandmother has only a short time left to live and decide to keep her in the dark, scheduling a wedding to gather before she dies. slipped under last year’s awards radar film reviewer CAMERON BLACKSHAW
the whole family decides to return to China under the guise of visiting for a cousin’s wedding, when in fact they all return to say goodbye to their beloved matriarch.
It’s a very human and personal story that Wang tells with a tender and sensitive touch. She knows when the film needs to be sad; she knows when it needs to be funny. The witty dialogue and humour come across even though most of the film is in Mandarin.
The different family members piece together just like any believable family do and underlying tensions and admirations always manage to spill out in uncomfortable ways. A prime example of this is the dinner scene, where two halves of the family politely butt heads over the differences between Chinese and American cultures.
The way the film provides an accessible window into a culture many of us are unfamiliar with is a great strength. Wang deftly explores the bi-cultural experience through Billi’s character and Awkwafina is brilliant in embodying it. It’s truly a crime that this film was shut out of last year’s awards, as both Wang and Awkwafina were deserving of recognition for their work. Billi’s fish-out-of-water position in
China is mixed with a nostalgic memory of her childhood, a dilemma she has to come to terms with while also tackling the idea of keeping her own grandmother’s fate from her.
Awkwafina portrays all the emotions that come with this in a truly delightful and melancholy fashion. She manages to shed the comedic skin she is usually known for to deliver one of 2019’s most down-to-earth leading performances. As well as the touching and genuinely moving story, the film looks fantastic as well. Wang’s vertigo-inducing shots of China’s numerous high-rise apartment buildings give a sense of both admiration and anxiety. The quaint nature of Nai Nai’s traditional flat clashes with the kitsch artificiality of the various wedding events, adding another layer of depth to the film’s exploration of modern Chinese culture. The camera is always carefully composed, which results in some lovely looking frames that match the tone of the film.
The Farewell is one of 2019’s unsung heroes. Although quite a simple story, it manages to unfold in heart-warming and surprising ways that anyone would love to see.
If anything, it’ll make you appreciate your relationship with your grandmother even more.
The Farewell is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.
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