Review of The Farewell (2019) by Wayne_Posh — 16 Jan 2023

In a nutshell, The Farewell can be described as a beautifully shot, well-acted family drama. It’s certainly all of those things, but it manages to take on so much more in its 100 minute runtime. Lulu Wang offers a unique insight into a family struggling to uphold tradition and even when it directly contradicts their own values. In this struggle, we see the long dormant dynamics of a New York based Chinese-American family get rattled into action as they travel to China to reconnect with the family matriarch in a time of need.

The cast immediately allows these family dynamics to be made tangible. Awkafina as Billi exudes a modern millennial apathy while at the same time balancing it with a sincere sense of sadness and vulnerability that brings the film’s protagonist to the forefront in a realistic, relatable way. The rest of the cast is rounded out by mostly unknowns (with the exception of the as always excellent Tzi Ma as Billi’s father) but they all bring to the screen a verisimilitude to this family that never allows the audience to question their love for one another. Brothers reunited after decades spent on separate continents engage in conversations of family duty and patriotism. A worried mother both admonishes her unambiguous daughter and defends her from other scrutinizing critics in the form of Aunties. And the ailing, frail Nai Nai brings family members from all parts of the globe to a single dining table to share a family dinner making up for lost time. Every scene is so well performed that the actors never appear to be reading lines or memorizing their blocking. The ways in which the family squabbles, cries, embraces, and forgives unfolds in such a real way that you are rooting for everyone even when their goals are in conflict. Beyond the performances, Lulu Wang’s direction brings China to life in a way few other films have achieved. While most Hollywood-backed films set in China tend to exoticize the location, The Farewell treats the setting with both a reverent and casual hand. The film depicts the changing infrastructure of China by highlighting the high rise buildings and modern architecture that replaced quaint, ancient communities. City streets lined with neon show China as a modern country that has all of the qualities a modern audience needs to anchor themselves into the narrative. But, thankfully, this modernity is juxtaposed with a view of China a western audience may never get to see. The dynamics of the kitchen and dining room implying the importance of a family meal shared where a family can both come together and hash out differences. A particularly moving and funny scene involving a visit to a gravesite allows a brief view into the importance of family within this culture that extends even into their passed ancestry. Without ever explicating, The Farewell offers to the cannon of cinema a compelling look into an unfamiliar landscape while making it accessible to even the most untraveled viewer.

The Farewell stitches many threads into its final woven masterpiece. The compelling and ultimately satisfying story leads the viewers to observe sadness, glee, and fear while giving them reasons to acknowledge those emotions within themselves. Actors who have an important, admirable job of bringing to life traditional customs unknown to their audience. And ultimately, a better understanding of ourselves and choices made in our own relationships. The Farewell will provide you with answers to questions about life you didn’t even know you had while beckoning you to rewatch before much time has passed.