A Chinese-American woman returns to China when her grandmother is
diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, a condition kept as a secret from the
matriarch.
Review by
Musanna Ahmed
Directed by: Lulu Wang
Starring: Awkwafina, Zhao Shuzhen, Tzi Ma, Gil Perez-Abraham,
Diana Lin, Jim Liu, Ines Laimins
Chinese-American writer Billi (Awkwafina) heads to China after her
beloved grandma Nai Nai is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Billi’s family
gather together and decide to stage a wedding to warrant a family reunion.
But it’s really just a way for them to all be together with grandma for one
final time, without letting her know that she doesn’t have long to live. Nai
Nai, overjoyed at the prospect of seeing the whole clan, has no idea about
the extent of her illness, and Billi is conflicted about the conundrum of
keeping the diagnosis a secret from her. It’s a heartbreaking but hilarious
story, as the festive excitement clashes with a sad reality.
Nai Nai is intensely passive-aggressive as much she is adoring of her
relatives, and her favourite term of endearment for Billi is "stupid child!"
The truth is, she loves them all to bits but her long life has taught her
lessons on life and relationships that she simply wants to pass onto the
next generations - we agree with her verbal thwacks on her "unaffectionate"
grandson and his soon-to-be-wife, and we’re confident for Billi when Nai Nai
reassures her that she’ll face difficulties in life but will be fine if she
keeps an open mind, when Billi is quietly reeling from being rejected for a
Guggenheim Fellowship.
The Farewell is one of those films about an elderly person
with a short time to live where the elderly character isn't on the deathbed
or low on energy. It’s in fact the total opposite - Nai Nai is the most
exuberant being in any room. Playing the bossy but lovable grandma is
Zhao Shuzhen, who’s an utter joy to watch. You can't help but wish
she was your own grandma, no matter how much you love your actual nanny.
It's so easy to establish a strong connection to her because Shuzhen injects
a lot of real 'granny-ness' into the character, so when the film approaches
its inevitable climax, it's impossible to hold back tears.
Alongside her, there are outstanding performances across the board, but
Awkwafina - as we've never seen her - is truly special, knocking it out of
the park as the central character. Lulu Wang’s screenplay is
dynamite, extremely rich in theme and emotion through character, and she
works in tandem with her leading actress's strong, sympathetic performance,
to explore the struggles of being in the middle of a cross-border family,
connecting to our cultural heritage, the chasm within a hyphenated identity,
and the importance of spending honest time with family.
Wang's film is impeccably directed, precise in its framing and displaying
an envious understanding of mise-en-scene. Perhaps one of my most favourite
scenes is a wedding photoshoot wherein the camera hangs back a little and
has Billi and Nai Nai commenting on the shoot of the engaged couple while it
takes place in the background. It’s a brilliant juxtaposition that packs a
lot of character moments and humour into a single frame.
As a second generation immigrant myself, I found The Farewell extremely resonant and brilliantly funny, a feeling I last got from
watching the masterful 'Parents' episode of Aziz Ansari's
Master of None some years back. But that comparison is merely
of my emotional response rather than implying any narrative similarities,
for this immigrant experience is in a class of its own. By telling such a
personal true story ("based on an actual lie") with incredible finesse,
The Farewell is a magnificent calling card for the adept Lulu
Wang.
The Farewell is on Netflix UK/ROI
now.