The Farewell - Review
Director: Lulu Wang
Cast: Awkwafina, Tzi Ma, Diana Lin, Zhao Shuzhen, Lu Hong, Jiang Yongbo
Upon learning that her beloved Nai Nai ("paternal grandmother" in Mandarin) only has a short while left to live, Chinese-American writer Billi (Awkwafina) travels to China to say goodbye. However, Billi's family have all agreed not to reveal the terminal diagnosis to Nai Nai (Shuzhen) and they instruct Billi to go along with their plan.
The synopsis is at first glance an unbelievable set up but it is in fact inspired by a true story that Wang had previously made the subject of in an episode of This American Life. With such an outlandish premise, the film could have risked leaning too heavily in one tonal strand i.e. making it a jovial farce or a bleak drama. However, with Wang's sensitive script and powerful direction, The Farewell always strikes the balance between comedy and melancholy.
Known predominantly for her rapping career and comedic work in films such as Ocean's 8 and Crazy Rich Asians, Awkwafina makes her debut in the dramatic space and does so beautifully. As a millennial woman living in New York, Billi has progressively distanced herself through osmosis from her Asian heritage. When her parents tell her of Nai Nai's illness and disclose that none of the family are to tell the matriarch about her diagnosis, Billi cannot comprehend their logic, highlighting the cultural shift that divides them.
This theme of displacement underscores the film, but Billi begins to reconnect with her passions the longer she spends in China. She embraces the piano and confesses the hardships and isolation she experienced moving from China to America with her parents as a young girl. Billi's emotions simmer just below the surface at all times and Awkwafina portrays the nuances of her character with a subdued and measured brilliance.
Hilarious and heartwarming, beautiful and bittersweet, The Farewell is a film that celebrates culture, family and Awkwafina's astonishing talent, all the while proving to be one of 2019's finest.
EB
Cast: Awkwafina, Tzi Ma, Diana Lin, Zhao Shuzhen, Lu Hong, Jiang Yongbo
The synopsis is at first glance an unbelievable set up but it is in fact inspired by a true story that Wang had previously made the subject of in an episode of This American Life. With such an outlandish premise, the film could have risked leaning too heavily in one tonal strand i.e. making it a jovial farce or a bleak drama. However, with Wang's sensitive script and powerful direction, The Farewell always strikes the balance between comedy and melancholy.
Known predominantly for her rapping career and comedic work in films such as Ocean's 8 and Crazy Rich Asians, Awkwafina makes her debut in the dramatic space and does so beautifully. As a millennial woman living in New York, Billi has progressively distanced herself through osmosis from her Asian heritage. When her parents tell her of Nai Nai's illness and disclose that none of the family are to tell the matriarch about her diagnosis, Billi cannot comprehend their logic, highlighting the cultural shift that divides them.
This theme of displacement underscores the film, but Billi begins to reconnect with her passions the longer she spends in China. She embraces the piano and confesses the hardships and isolation she experienced moving from China to America with her parents as a young girl. Billi's emotions simmer just below the surface at all times and Awkwafina portrays the nuances of her character with a subdued and measured brilliance.
Hilarious and heartwarming, beautiful and bittersweet, The Farewell is a film that celebrates culture, family and Awkwafina's astonishing talent, all the while proving to be one of 2019's finest.
EB
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