The Farewell Movie Review
The Farewell is one of the most heartfelt and impactful films I’ve seen this year. The film touches on family, love, and tragedy in an incredibly unique way. You’ll probably recognize the lead of the film, Awkwafina. She was the scene stealer in Crazy Rich Asians and also had a role in Oceans 8. She plays Billi, a young twenty-something in New York who learns that her grandmother is dying. Her father Haiyan (Tzi Ma) and mother Jian (Diana Lin) inform her that the family has decided not to tell Nai Nai (Shuzhen Zhao) of her illness. The family has instead organized a wedding so that the family can be reunited and spend time together without arousing suspicion.
The family convenes in China for the wedding and everyone is concerned that Billi won’t be able to keep the illness a secret. It was somewhat absurd to watch the family have to pretend that this is a happy occasion to celebrate. Awkwafina gives an absolutely stunning performance of a young woman struggling to merge her roots in the East with her new home in the West. Throughout the movie she advocates for telling Nai Nai but is always met with resistance from her family.
However, the real gem in this movie is Shuzhen Zhao. She is absolutely hilarious and absolutely adorable. Most of the lines in the movie that made me laugh out loud where hers. The fact that she is dying heightens every moment and will tug at your heart strings. If you are even remotely close with your family, you will get a kick out of the family dynamics.
There wasn’t a single thing about this film that I didn’t like. The acting was phenomenal and writer and director Lulu Wang crafted such an amazing script. The Farewell is incredibly moving and emotional. Prepare to cry. You might not think you will, but you will. Especially if you’ve recently experienced something like this with your own grandparents or another family member. I sincerely hope this film gets recognized for the triumph it is.
Film or Movie: Film
You’ll like this film if:
1. You like family dramas
2. You want to see one of the best films of the year
3. You like to cry during films
