The Farewell Movie Review

The Farewell (2019)

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Written by: Lulu Wang
Directed by: Lulu Wang
Starring: Shuzhen Zhao, Awkwafina, X Mayo
Rated: PG
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Plot
A Chinese family discovers their grandmother has only a short while left to live and decide to keep her in the dark, scheduling a wedding to gather before she dies.

Verdict
This captures a moment really well. There's the grief and lies as the family gather around Nai Nai under the pretense of a wedding. Billi having lived in America since she was a child disagrees with lying, but in China lying to the elderly to save them grief is standard. Billi's relationship with her grandmother feels real. It's sweet, and the conflict with her parents also feels authentic. The main issue is control. Everyone wants to control the situation differently, with some arguing the lie provides Nai Nai control.
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Review
Billi (Awkwafina) disagrees with lying to her grandmother Nai Nai about the cancer, but she's overruled by her parents. Their belief is that the cancer doesn't kill you, but the fear does. It's a weak argument, but even Nai Nai lied to her husband when he became ill. The solution is to  schedule an upcoming wedding early so everyone can see Nai Nai.

There's an undertone of culture clash. Billi, having lived in the states since she was a child is fiercely independent. Billi's parents don't even want Billi to come, afraid she won't be able to control her emotions and thus reveal to Nai Nai what's really happening. Her parents feel they are doing what's best for Nai Nai.

Awkwafina plays Billi.

Awkwafina does a great job. She has to fake like nothing's wrong, but it's clear she's struggling to figure out what's right. You can see the conflict on her face during family conversations as parents argue over their children, petty bragging overshadowing why they're even together.
The moments between Billi and her grandmother are really sweet.

The movie is a struggle for control. Billi chides her parents for wanting to control the situation, and later she tells her dad not to smoke as he had quit years ago. Billi's uncle chides her for trying to control her father. It's a parallel. Nai Nai is dying of lung cancer, and in both cases children are trying to take care of parents.

This is a personal story for writer/director Lulu Wang, and I'm sure it aids in capturing these authentic moments but the directing is well done going beyond just knowing the story and presenting it to maximize effect.